Dartmouth Volleyball may only have eight returning players this year, but the Big Green are already looking forward to a spectacular season.
The team is now 3-3 overall after two invitationals at Bucknell University and Boston College.
The new co-captains of the team are Janene Ashford '97 and Carmen Schmitt '97.
Coach Ann Marie Larese spoke highly of the new captains.
"They provide us with great leadership," she said. "They have opposite personalities but they complement each other great. They have been my right hand people."
Last year, Dartmouth started five freshmen and finished with a 17-13 record including two wins in the Ivy League. They finished sixth in the Ivy League.
This year, Larese hopes to finish in the final four of the Ivy League with six new freshmen and one new junior.
"I think their impact has already been felt in our last six matches," she said. "They gave us depth that we really didn't have last year."
Ashford said, "I think we have been playing some of the best volleyball since I've been playing at Dartmouth."
Last year the Dartmouth team consisted of a mere six members -- five freshmen and a senior.
"We didn't have the depth on the bench to let us do different things," Larese said. "Last year we had to stick with the game plan no matter what."
With the new recruits, the Dartmouth team now has a full 15 player complement. With only six players at one time, the Big Green can mix and match to meet the occasion.
"This allows us some variety in offense and defense," Larese said. "This allows us to play the Ivies in a different way."
The new players include three freshmen women over six feet tall and a new junior defensive specialist from the University of Mexico -- Maria Stutsman y Marquez '98.
Larese reserved special praise for Marquez saying, "She just brings a higher level to our team."
Marquez was voted best defensive player in the Western Athletic Conference last year.
"She is just awesome," Ashford said. "She is great on defense, a great server, and has a great personality."
Ashford also said the team was dealing well with the new freshmen players.
"They are a great group of girls," she said. "Very talented."
The Big Green's three matches at the Bucknell Invitational two weeks ago began with a disappointing and grueling defeat to Bucknell University in five games.
"The loss to Bucknell was a heartbreaking way to start the year but we bounded back," Larese said.
The team showed true form finishing the invitational with a swift defeat of St. Bonaventure University and Rider College -- each in only four games.
Two Dartmouth sophomores -- Alison McKinley '99 and Felicity Kolp '99 -- were named all-tournament players at the invitational. Also, McKinley was voted best overall offensive player in the tournament.
McKinley was also voted best Ivy League Player of the Week. Last year she led Dartmouth with 376 kills and 445 digs.
Last week, Dartmouth played 1-2 at the Boston College Invite to bring its score to its current 3-3 standing. The Big Green lost to Minnesota University and Cincinnati University after three games but fought back to beat Boston College in four games.
McKinley was named an all-tournament player for that invite.
"We played two really strong midwestern teams," Larese said. "We were in it the whole way."
Larese said the team was off to an excellent start.
"This past week we led the country in digs per game as a team," she said. "I think that we have increased the strength of our schedule. We are playing tougher schools this year."
Tomorrow the Big Green holds its first home tournament of the year facing off against eight different schools in a round robin competition. The matches will be held Friday night and all of Saturday.
Ashford said she thinks the team will do very well tomorrow.
"We are looking to come out the top in our pool -- the number one in our pool ... and make it to the finals," she said. "We definitely want top three, one or two at least."
