2007 Season Outlook

The 2006 Women’s Volleyball team (25-7) went undefeated in regular season NESCAC play (10-0) and won the Little III Championship. What was more impressive was the fact that five first years saw a significant amount of playing time and transitioned into the college game very quickly. Unfortunately for the Ephs, the season was cut short with a loss in the NESCAC championship match to Amherst.

The 2007 Eph squad looks poised to make another run at a conference title.  Williams will be led this year by senior Liz Hirschhorn and junior Riki McDermott, the 2007 captains.  Hirschhorn, a senior setter/opposite from Chevy Chase, MD and McDermott, a junior libero/opposite from Manhattan Beach, CA have set the tone right from the start.

“Based on our pre-season, this is the most focused, driven team we’ve had from top to bottom,” said head coach Fran Vandermeer.  “The team is very athletic, we have good size, and we have depth at every position.  Liz and Riki have been terrific leaders, the energy in the gym has been outstanding and the team’s work ethic is incredible.”

One of the biggest bright spots for the Ephs last season was the emergence of the first years.  Now sophomores, the class of ‘10 looks to make even bigger strides in their second year.  Last year’s NESCAC Rookie of the year, Melissa Pun made quite a name for herself in her rookie campaign.  Along with a second team All-NESCAC selection, Pun was also named an AVCA honorable mention All American.  She finished the season second on the team in kills per game (3.28), digs per game (3.69), and hitting % (.280).  Rounding out the post-season selections were sophomores Alisha Cahlan and Chelsea Kubal.  Cahlan, who was named to the All-NESCAC second team, led the Ephs in attack percentage (.284) and was second in blocks per game (.60).  Kubal, who was an AVCA honorable mention All-Region, led the team in kills per game (3.36), digs per game (4.38), and service aces (37).  

The Ephs will also look for sophomores Andrea Scioscia and Whitney Hitchcock and junior Molly Hunter to contribute this season.  Scioscia, a defensive specialist, led the team in service aces per game (.37) last year and Hitchcock, a middle/opposite led the team in blocks per game (.85).  Hunter is an outside hitter/middle blocker who has come back strong from an ankle injury her freshman year.

The first year class is comprised of Kate Anderson (outside/middle), Emily Avis (setter), Nicole Ballon-Landa (middle blocker), and Eleanor Levine (middle/outside).  According to Vandermeer, “The four first years are talented and competitive athletes with extensive club volleyball experience and they will make an immediate impact in our program.”

The Ephs are also approaching some milestones at the top entering the 2007 season.  They are led by the 2006 NESCAC Coach of the Year, Fran Vandermeer, who comes into her eighth season only two wins shy of 200 at Williams (198-51).  She also only needs 21 wins to pass Pat Manning as the Eph all-time leader in wins.

This young, but talented Eph squad will be tested early as they play three matches in two days, including the home opener against Coast Guard, who advanced to the NCAA Final Eight in 2006.  The Ephs will travel to Wellesley the next day to play Wesleyan and Wellesley.