Signature wins: Haverford (16-13, 5-5 CC) took down Elizabethtown at home on September 6, outlasting the upstart Blue Jays in five sets with a 20-18 fifth set win in a match that teetered back and forth all night. Ultimately, the Fords prevailed behind a strong blocking performance and strong reception. The Fords later posted an epic comeback win at home over McDaniel (Oct. 14) in front of a raucous crowd, erasing a 0-2 deficit to beat the Green Terror in five sets. Sara Matsumura and Natalie Pisch each recorded double-double efforts, with the pair contributing 20 kills each in the contest. Matsumura reached her career high kill total while Pisch was just four off her personal best in the category. Matsumura had 19 digs while Pisch added 15. Pisch hit a team best .271 in the game. The Fords went on the road to Dickinson (Oct. 18) for a late-season four set victory over the host Red Devils, turning the tide on a 2016 loss in Carlisle. Pisch and Matsumura each contributed double-double efforts in the match.
Awards:
- All-Centennial Conference: Zoe Wong (first team), Natalie Pisch (honorable mention), Sara Matsumura (honorable mention)
- Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Christine Anderson, Sara Matsumura, Natalie Pisch, Zoe Wong
- Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team: Sara Matsumura
Season Notes: Haverford finished the 2017 season with a 16-13 overall record, the sixth straight season the squad has eclipsed the 15-win mark …Haverford has had at least one first team All-Centennial Conference selection for 17 straight seasons … Wong leaves the Haverford program in the top five in program history in assists (3,010), assists per set (6.81), service attempts (1,404) and assist percentage (.398) ... Her .273 career attack percentage is good for eighth all-time in program history … Matsumura was named to the All-Sportsmanship Team for the second straight season.
Looking Forward: Haverford loses the veteran presence as well as the on and off the court guidance of Wong, but returns a solid core including co-captain Natalie Pisch, who will be the lone senior on a team that includes fellow All-Centennial honoree Sara Matsumura. Matsumura was a breakout performer in 2017, starting the season as a libero before emerging as one of the conference's top attacking outside hitters in the latter stages of the season in her sophomore campaign. Pisch (811 total kills) and Matsumura (945 digs) will each eye milestones entering the 2018 campaign.
Julia Gallagher-Teske will look to move up the blocking record books as she is 11th in program history with 187 total blocks through just two full seasons. Christine Anderson will join Matsumura and Gallagher-Teske in an experienced junior class that will also see Kendall Robison return from injury. Sydney Miller, Madison Adore, Claire Nicholas and Allison Hall are the returning sophomores looking to make a further impact after impressive first year campaigns.