The Maroons will look to rebound after three tough losses at this past weekend’s UChicago Invite at the hands of Aurora University, No.15 Elmhurst College, and No. 11 Juniata College. Last weekend’s defeats put the team at an 11–7 overall record. However, they remain undefeated in conference play with a 3–0 record.
Despite last week’s string of losses, the South Siders are definitely not ready to give up. On the contrary, the team views the losses as motivation to prepare for the matches at the UAA Round Robin #2 this weekend. “While we lost some really tough matches this past weekend, we always try to view those weekends as learning experiences and a chance to further grow as a team,” fourth-year middle blocker Katie LaPorte said. “It’s the response of a team to a bad loss that shows how much heart [we] have.”
First-year Anabella Pinton echoed her captain’s sentiments. “We are hoping to learn from our losses this past weekend and go into the upcoming weekend with a positive attitude,” she said.
Using their losses as motivation will definitely be necessary for the Maroons this weekend. The pressure to remain undefeated in conference play is on, as they will take on New York University, Rochester, Case Western Reserve, and No. 6 Emory University.
The team is heavily focused on improving its game for conference play. “There is much more pressure on the conference games, as those games have a heavy influence on our rankings,” Pinton said.
To prepare themselves for this upcoming weekend, the Maroons look to improve in areas they fell short during the UChicago Invite. “We are looking to improve the defensive aspect of our game as well as be more effective on the serving line,” said Pinton. “We are staying focused in practice every day and giving 100 percent effort on every contact.”
It is clear that the Maroons are looking to redeem themselves this weekend, and the match against Emory University seems to be the perfect opportunity to do so. “I think we will show what we’re made of this weekend, especially against Emory,” LaPorte added.
Excited for what this weekend’s games will hold, Pinton said, “I am most looking forward to playing Emory. They are a very good, all-around team and will give us a good challenge. It will be fun seeing how the team steps up to the plate.” The Emory Eagles hold an overall 18–3 record, and, just as the Maroons, they boast an undefeated record in conference play at 3–0. In addition, the Eagles are riding a 14-game winning streak.
This weekend, the South Siders will travel to Waltham, MA, for the UAA Round Robin #2. The first match begins on Saturday, October 15, at 12:30 p.m. when the Maroons take on New York University (13–7). Later on that day, the squad will be put to the test when it takes on the powerhouse Eagles of No. 6 Emory at 2:30 p.m. Play will continue on Sunday, October 16, when the South Siders play Rochester (17–6) at 11:30 a.m., followed by Case Western Reserve (13–5) at 1:30 p.m.
