The Hopkins volleyball team extended their winning streak to 12 games this past Saturday in Haverford, Pa., with three-set victories over both Haverford College and Arcadia University.
On Tuesday, Sept. 26, the Blue Jays secured the first top-25 national ranking in program history; the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll puts them at No. 23.
As of Wednesday’s game against the Dickinson College Red Devils, the winning streak now stands at 13 games.
The program has certainly come far in their 33 years at Hopkins. Senior setter and middle Kristi Rhead discussed the changes since her freshman year and credited the alumni for helping the program during a time of transition.
“The team has really grown a lot since I got here, both in numbers but more importantly in our commitment,” she said. “We barely had enough people to put six people on the court my sophomore season.”
The Blue Jays won their first game against the Haverford College Fords in three sets (25-14, 25-15, 25-19), not allowing the Fords to earn more than 20 points in a single set.
Hopkins took the lead early in the first set, with four service aces from freshman setter and middle Natalie Aston. The second set started off closer for the Jays, but they took the lead decisively, with kills from outside hitters freshman Simone Bliss and senior Elizabeth Wuerstle.
Bliss and Wuerstle led the team in kills on Saturday, with 21 and 19 kills on the day, respectively. Wuerstle also had five aces against the Fords.
The third set started with Haverford taking the lead, but Hopkins quickly regained the lead with a kill from freshman opposite Morgan Wu. They eventually won the set 25-19.
Wu currently holds the team record for most aces in a three-set match, with 13 in the game against Bryn Mawr College on Sept. 16. She addressed the role the team culture plays in their success.
“We push each other to extend ourselves, and to do so, we have to feel uncomfortable,” she said.
Expressing the team’s focus on health, both physical and mental, Wu added, “We are completely team-first in every action, whether it’s sacrificing the last hour of study for an extra hour of sleep or keeping up good nutrition.”
The second game of the doubleheader was played against the Arcadia University Knights, who have yet to win a game against the Jays.
Hopkins got off to a hot start against Arcadia, taking advantage of the momentum from their previous game to win the first set 25-11.
The set ended with a kill from Rhead, who spoke about her evolution as a player.
“My technical skills have improved a ton since I got to Hopkins,” she said. “But what I’m most grateful to the program for are my leadership skills and development of my attitude.”
She also addressed how the team has grown together.
“In addition to development of our attitudes, we’ve also grown both in our volleyball technical skills and in our fitness with a lot of hard work, preparation and focus in the gym and the weight room.”
The second set was neck-and-neck, but strong performances by Wuerstle and sophomore outside hitter Louisa Kishton propelled the Jays to win 25-21. Kishton led the team in digs, with 30 on the day.
During the third and final set of the game, the Jays maintained their lead throughout, winning the set 25-22 and sweeping the match in three-sets. Freshman defensive specialist Rachel DePencier stood out, with a team-leading four aces against the Knights.
The Jays’ success this season is surprising given that five of their 13 players are freshmen. Wu talked about how the new players have adapted to the team environment, crediting the coaches and the upperclassmen.
“The team culture is undoubtedly one of the most supportive and loving environments I have ever been a part of,” Wu said. “We can all solidly depend on each other if and when we ever feel overwhelmed.”
The Jays now have an overall season record of 14-2 and are undefeated in the Centennial Conference, with a 4-0 record. Their current winning streak of 13 games is the longest since 2012, and they have won their last 14 Conference matches.
Nevertheless, Wu explained that the team emphasizes the process over the results.
“The record, the streak and the national ranking are all just results that don’t impact the way we approach every training session and match,” she said.
Rhead agreed, citing the importance of putting the team before the individual.
“We aim to create an environment that is extraordinary in the sense that it fosters learning, development, excellence, love and high effort,” she said. “My dream senior season is one where every player is all in on the team and striving for excellence.”
Even if the Jays’ winning streak comes to an end, it may not mean the team has failed.
“We’ve been working hard to hold ourselves to a high standard of excellence, and when we play ‘our way,’ we bank it as a win regardless of the results of the match,” Wu said.
The Blue Jays will strive to continue their success at home against the Washington and Lee University Generals on Friday, Oct. 6 in Goldfarb Gym. They will continue their Conference schedule on Saturday, Oct. 7 against the Muhlenberg College Mules.
