Last weekend, volleyball (7-0, 2-0 NESCAC) brought home wins against Middlebury (3-3, 1-1 NESCAC), Hamilton (5-2, 1-1 NESCAC), and St. Lawrence (2-6). The team maintained its perfect record and stands at first place in the NESCAC. For its home opener on Sept. 16, volleyball defeated Union (7-5) in four sets. The Ephs battled neck-and-neck in the beginning of the first set, but they ultimately worked together to take the lead with a .368 hitting percentage.
In the second set, Keely Campuzano ’27 scored three kills in four points, and Sidra Wohlwend ’25 brought the score to 19-7 with a second service ace. The Ephs ultimately won the second set 25-13. After losing the third set 20-25, the Ephs entered the fourth determined and ultimately won it 25-22 with a final powerful kill from co-captain Marit Hoyem ’24, who was named NESCAC Player of the Week for her recent performances.
[Editor’s note: Hoyem is an editor at-large for the Record and was not involved in the writing or editing of this piece.]
The Ephs’ defeat of the Panthers on Friday provided some extra confidence going into the matches on Saturday, players said. Co-captain Celia Adams ’24 discussed the thrill of winning these matches on Saturday. “The Hamilton game in particular was a long five-set match — to win that in five and then to come out right after, back-to-back, and play St. Lawrence and to sweep them [too] was really exciting,” she said. “It took a lot of fight from our team, so I was really proud of how everybody contributed to get those wins.”
Head coach Christi Kelsey attributed the team’s strong opener to its energy and collaboration. “This group is so supportive of one another, and everyone invests in helping each other on and off the court,” she said.
Adams agreed with this assessment, noting the importance of each player on the team. “We have the best bench in the NESCAC, and it contributes 100 percent to our success,” she said. “Everybody does so much to help bring up the energy on our team.”
Next on the team’s schedule is a home game against perennial rival Amherst. Last season, the team overcame Amherst at home in a five-set comeback victory — its first win over Amherst since 2015. Annaliese Fricke ’26, who helped contribute to the 36-34 win in the fourth set, said she is looking forward to the matchup on the Ephs’ home court. “It’s really fun to compete against a rival school because there’s so much competitiveness,” she said.
Kelsey recognized the challenges ahead but said that she remains optimistic about the rest of the season. “Every NESCAC match is going to be a battle this year, as there are so many talented teams across the board, which makes it exciting and fun every time we step on the court,” she said. “The season is a long one, and we have a ton of potential to keep growing over the next several weeks. We are staying true to ourselves and focusing on the process of getting better every day.”
