NCAC spells losses for volleyball team

Team is playing better, but competition is harsh

When conference volleyball play began, it was midnight for Oberlin's Cinderella volleyball team.

Over the past three weeks, the team has gone 1-8, with seven of those losses (and the only victory) coming against NCAC teams.

The string of losses, coach Suzanne Garland said, is not because the team is faltering. "It's just beet a matter of some teams being that much better than us."

Before the conference competition began, Oberlin racked up an 11-7 record and became a contender. Last season, the team won just four of its matches.

Since conference play began, the team has lost to the College of Wooster, Wittenberg, Case Western Reserve University, Kenyon College, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, West Liberty College, Denison University and Ohio Wesleyan University.

The team's sole win in that stretch came Oct. 19 over Earlham - the NCAC's only winless team.

But Oberlin has risen above the conference's cellar this season for the first time since 1992 - and have earned a seed in the NCAC tournament for the first time since then.

The Yeowomen will have the last seed, and thus play Tuesday against one of the confrerence's tri-champions - top seeded Ohio Wesleyan.

Over the course of the season, the Yeowomen have continued to play a more complex game - and to play it better.

"They're doing better each match than they were capable of doing in the match before," Garland said.

Senior Karen Rosenbaum is wrapping up her Oberlin career. In her three seasons, she's played under three head coaches - and feels this season has been the team's best. "It's been really fulfilling," she said. "If anything, I've been pleasantly surprised."

Junior Carissa Bennett has one more year with the Yeowomen. "Now, we're used to winning. Now we want to go even further with that. It's not over yet," she said.