2008 Woodie Awards
Suffolk shakes streak
Rich Parenteau
Issue date: 10/20/04 Section: Sports
The month of October started off promising for the Suffolk women's volleyball team, who won their first game of the month to put themselves back over the .500 mark.
But as fast as the leaves changed color in the autumn air, the Lady Rams' luck turned to misfortune. Things were looking grim as the team went on a season high six game-losing streak, quickly falling to 5-10 on the season.
Determined to turn their season around, the Lady Rams focused their attention on a set of matches this past weekend. The Rams hosted Babson last Thursday Oct. 14, for only their second home game of the season.
The two teams battled in a match that was as entertaining as you will ever see. The Rams dominated the first game, winning 30-21 and staved off Babson in a back and forth battle in the second game, which Suffolk took 30-28.
Suffolk would drop the next two games to Babson, forcing a final game to decide the match.
"I reminded them that they have been there before in that situation," said head coach Elaine Schwager. "They just needed to play with confidence. When they play with confidence they play like a team."
The Lady Rams pulled out the victory in the decisive fifth game, winning the epic match 3-2 and ending their six game skid in the process.
"Physically, they started to look tired. Once your physically exhausted there's really nothing you can do," recalled Schwager. "But they gutted it out and I think that was a critical win for them."
The Babson match may have sparked something in the Rams, who hit the road for a doubleheader Saturday Oct. 16. Suffolk traveled to Vermont to take on Albertus Magnus and Southern Vermont College.
The Lady Rams picked up right where they left off, dominating the first game and serving up a shutout against Southern Vermont. Suffolk remained in control during the back end of the doubleheader, in their match against Albertus Magnus.
"We were down 28-22," Schwager said of the first game against Albertus Magnus. "We weren't playing bad, we just weren't getting points. But boy did they settle down. You could see they were rising way above themselves."