After a mixed season on the court, No. 6 volleyball (13-11, 5-6 NESCAC) ended its run with a 3-0 defeat against No. 1 Colby (24-2, 10-0 NESCAC) on Friday during the semifinals of the NESCAC Tournament.
The Ephs fell behind early in the first set, suffering three attacks, which resulted in a 25-14 loss. “The first set is usually a tougher one because you’re getting used to the game and warming up,” middle blocker Helen Qian ’26 said.
Qian and fellow middle blocker Chi Obi ’28 made key plays during the first set: Qian scored the first kill, and Obi had a solo block. “The atmosphere in the first set was definitely competitive,” Obi told the Record. “Colby came out with some aggressive serving that really challenged our back and front rows.”
The Ephs showed more force in the second set, taking a brief 14-12 lead, but ultimately fell to the Colby Mules 25-19. Despite these setbacks, the Ephs kept spirits high heading into the third set. “We stayed very resilient and I think that’s a thing that our team does very well,” said outside hitter Kate Lane ’28. “There [are] never any moments where we give up… I think that was true yesterday.”
Lane credited her teammates’ positive attitudes throughout the game to captain Sidra Wohlwend ’25. “Everyone has a lot of drive to win,” Lane said. “Sidra is a great example of this. She always brings so much fight. She does a really good job of hyping everyone up. It keeps the motivation going even when things aren’t going well.”
The Ephs made a late push in the third set, narrowing Colby’s lead to 23-21. However, the Mules overpowered their efforts, ultimately winning the set 25-21.
Though the loss was disappointing, the Ephs remained focused on the season’s positives, including the strong connections they built as a group. “One thing that’s very special about this team is how tight-knit it is,” Lane said. “The bench [plays] just as big of a role in our wins as the people on the court. We all hype each other up so much and we’re all so close. That is a special thing about Williams volleyball.”
Qian, who said she has felt the warmth and support of her teammates since her first season on the team, echoed Lane’s sentiment. “Coming into the team, everyone was so supportive and loving and [had] great energy,” she said. “That’s something I noticed as a freshman. We’re a smaller team, so everyone’s super close.”
Even though the team’s performance at Colby was not its best, members said they remain optimistic about future seasons. “There’s always room to improve,” Lane said. “I think next season it would be awesome to make the NCAA Tournament. There’s a lot we can still accomplish.”
“It’s really only up from here because we’re such a young team and a lot of us will be coming back,” Obi added. “It’s going to be fun to see how much stronger our connections will get and how much more fluid we can play.”
