Women's Volleyball Finishes Second at Harvard Invitational

The Harvard women’s volleyball team rounded off the season-opening Harvard Invitational in fine fashion this weekend, going 2-1 against tough non-conference foes Delaware State, Wofford, and Michigan State at Lavietes Pavilion.

“This tournament this weekend really proved to us how good of a team we are and how far we can take it in the Ivy League,” senior Laura Mahon said.

After sweeping the Hornets, 3-0, on Friday, the Crimson lost only one game to the Terriers en route to a 3-1 match victory. In the final match against the Spartans, Harvard fell short, losing the match 3-1.

With its win over the Crimson, Michigan State claimed the Harvard Invitational title, having won all four of its weekend matches.

The all-tournament team included a pair of Harvard hitters, Mahon and junior Kathryn McKinley, both of whom posted double-doubles in the weekend’s play. Boston College’s Kelsey Johnson, Delaware State’s Ayana Dyette, Wofford’s Joanna Sudduth, and Michigan State’s Katie Johnson, Jessica Hohl, and Ashley Schatzle were also named to the team.

Harvard’s next stop, the American Volleyball Tournament, begins next weekend in Washington, D.C.

MICHIGAN STATE 3, HARVARD 1

In the final match of the Invitational, down two games to none, Harvard rallied for a win in the third frame but fell short in game four, losing to Michigan State, 3-1 (30-18, 30-18, 23-30, 30-28).

Captain Suzie Trimble led the Crimson scoring with 13 kills. Mahon recorded her second double-double of the weekend, with 12 kills and 10 digs. Sophomore Lily Durwood and junior Laura Mays anchored Harvard’s passing, with 26 and 22 assists, respectively.

The Spartans out-blocked the Crimson, 14-3, with Jenilee Rathje setting a new Big Ten freshman record for blocks in a game. But Harvard was able to play evenly with Michigan State in almost every other category.

“When we realized we could hang with them, we started attacking and playing back at them,” Trimble said.

Harvard struck first in the third game on an ace from sophomore Chelsea Ono Horn. Michigan State twice managed to draw the score even, but the Crimson rebuffed any Spartan attempts to take the lead.

In the fourth frame, Harvard got off to another early lead, but Michigan State put together a 5-0 run, taking a 19-16 advantage. The Crimson worked a 4-0 surge of its own but fell short of regaining the lead, as the Spartans took the match and the Invitational title.

HARVARD 3, WOFFORD 1

When four players record kill statistics in the double digits, good things are bound to follow.

That was the case in the first matchup of Saturday’s play in the Invitational, which pitted Wofford against the hometown Crimson. After splitting the first two games against the Terriers, Harvard rallied to secure a 3-1 victory (30-22, 25-30, 30-16, 30-18).

“The setters were really doing such a fantastic job tricking the blockers,” Mahon said. “Giving us one-on-one, they made it a much easier job for us as hitters to put the ball away.”

Durwood provided 36 assists and Mays added 15, giving way to the offensive onslaught from McKinley (17 kills), Mahon (13), Trimble (12) and senior Mimi Hanley (11). Mahon also posted 11 digs to record a double-double.

Wofford’s steal of game two provided a “wake up call,” according to Trimble.

“At no point in our minds was there any thought that they were going to beat us,” Trimble said. “So when they did, we picked up the energy—turned things around to execute our game plan.”

The Crimson opened an early 9-3 lead in the third frame that it refused to relinquish en route to a 30-16 win and then finished off Wofford with a decisive 30-18 victory in game four.

HARVARD 3, DELAWARE STATE 0

Harvard put its right foot forward in the kickoff to the 2007 season, sweeping Delaware State, 3-0 (30-14, 30-22, 30-19), in its first match of the Invitational.

“We were confident the entire time we played,” Trimble said. “Fresh out of preseason, we pounced—we were ready.”

Harvard out-dueled the Hornets in just about every category: 46 kills to Delaware State’s 27, 45 assists to 25, 42 digs to 33, eight blocks to four. And the Crimson offense hit .306 while holding the Hornets to a meager .010 attack percentage.

Trimble led the Crimson defense, blocking six Hornet attempts, including one solo block. Mahon led the offense with 13 kills and a .440 attack percentage, while McKinley posted a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Durwood and Mays shared setting duties, recording 25 and 11 assists, respectively.

Getting off to an early 4-1 lead in the first game, Harvard never looked back, driving in 16 kills on 27 attempts, with only four errors, while keeping Delaware State to a -.152 attack percentage.

In game two, the Hornets kept stride with the Crimson, drawing even five times before taking the lead, 8-6. After more back-and-forth play, Mahon and Trimble connected for back-to-back kills, and Harvard was able to capitalize on key Delaware State errors to open a 23-17 lead.

The Hornets jumped off to an early lead in game three, but three costly errors allowed the Crimson to take an 8-6 lead, which Harvard maintained to complete the sweep.

—Staff writer Dixon McPhillips can be reached at fmcphill@fas.harvard.edu.