After a frustrating start to their season, the volleyball team (6-11, 3-4 Ivy) claimed wins against Dartmouth (9-8, 2-5 Ivy) and Harvard (8-8, 3-4 Ivy) to round out the first half of Ivy play.
These wins were “a turning point” for the team, according to Kayla Griebl ’25.
“Our team chemistry was amazing, and there was no doubt that we were hungry for a win,” she wrote in a message to The Herald.“We all played with determination and grit and I think everyone in the gym could feel that.”
The road trip opened with a nail-biting battle against Dartmouth on Friday night, with no team taking more than a three-point lead in the first set. Despite mustering a late 7-3 run, Brown fell by a tight final first-set score of 25-23 — hanging on until the very end but unable to come away with the win.
That type of disheartening outcome had seemed to define the Bears’ season thus far. It marked the third straight set, dating back to the previous weekend’s match against Cornell, which the Bears had lost by just two points, and their seventh such set in October.
Just when it appeared the Bears were destined for another game of agonizingly close set losses, the team punched back, winning two straight sets with scores of 25-19 and 25-22. Then, Bruno flipped the script, seizing the definitive fourth set 25-23 and earning a statement win.
“Overcoming that close loss to Dartmouth boosted our confidence and unity,” wrote setter Julia Kakkis ’28.. “It reminded us of our potential and that we can bounce back together.”
The team carried their newfound momentum into Saturday’s showdown in Cambridge, consecutively sweeping the Crimson in a 25-17 set followed by another 25-23 clincher.
“This weekend was a solid showing for our team,” Head Coach Taylor Virtue wrote in a message to The Herald. “We have been working hard all year, and it felt great to go on the road and earn two Ivy wins.”
Leading the charge for the Bears was Griebl, who followed up a career-high 21-kill performance on Friday by racking up 14 kills on Saturday. Mariia Sidorova ’26 also shined in the weekend sweep, posting 14 kills Saturday and 10 on Sunday.
Griebl said she was “feeling great physically and mentally” over the weekend.
“I felt like I was jumping high and had great vision of the court and opponent blockers, which allowed me to capitalize on a lot of opportunities where I was given the ball,” Griebl explained. Griebl wasn’t the only one breaking personal records, as the first-year Kakkis recorded 37 and 32 assists in the two games, both surpassing her previous high of 31. Against Dartmouth, she also notched a career-high 15 digs.
“I felt really in sync with my teammates, which allowed for smooth communication and quick decision-making,” Kakkis said of Friday’s match. “My focus on reading the game and anticipating plays helped me set up successful assists, while my defensive positioning improved my digs.”
Kakkis “did an incredible job captaining our offense this weekend,” Virtue wrote. “She has been steadily improving her connections with our attackers over the last few weeks and that work is coming to fruition.”
Ever-consistent captains Beau Vanderlaan ’25 and Jessica Golden ’26 contributed 14 blocks and 37 digs respectively across the weekend.
Kakkis spoke to the “supportive and resilient tone” that Coach Virtue and the upperclassmen have set while the team tries to leave their struggles behind. “They emphasize the importance of teamwork and maintaining a positive mindset, which has been crucial as we navigate early season challenges,” Kakkis wrote. “Their guidance fosters an environment where we can learn and grow from each match.”
The team will have their work cut out for them this coming weekend, riding their momentum into the buzzsaw that is the undefeated, two-time defending-Ivy League champion Yale Bulldogs (12-3, 7-0 Ivy).
“Staying mentally tough and believing in our abilities will be key, especially against an undefeated team,” Kakkis wrote. “We’ll approach the match with confidence and the intent to compete at our highest level.”
“We are only able to control what happens on our side of the net, and this has been a huge focus for our team as a whole — putting ourselves in the best situations and containing the crazy plays on our side will definitely be an advantage for us,” Griebl wrote.
Linus is a Sports editor from New York City. He is a junior concentrating in English, and when he's out of The Herald office you can find him rooting for the Mets, watching Star Wars or listening to The Beach Boys.
