By Rob Barlow
Sports Editor

When all the cheering had subsided, after the final tears were shed, and the trophy presented to the winners, one could not help but wonder - was it destiny?

This past weekend, the women’s volleyball team avenged last year’s first round Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament loss to MIT by beating the Engineers 3-1 in the
championship game. The victory made the team’s final record 27-11.

"I don’t know if it was fate, but it was rad," said Tri-captain and tournament MVP Alexis Keeler ’02.

The victory brought the MIT saga full circle. Last year’s season ended with a 3-1 loss, but the Cards rebounded with a 3-2 victory on Sept. 22, 2000.

"We were confident against MIT, but we knew that their strength was defense and that always means long rallies and really working hard to put the ball away," said Head Coach Gale Lackey.

The game was close throughout. The Cards went ahead and took the first game 15-10, but dropped the next 9-15. The Cards extended the lead two games to one heading into the fourth game.

"The last game was so intense," said Tri-captain Elise House ’01. "We were leading 14-11, then they came back 15-14. We tied it up at 15 and it went back and forth a bit. Then we went up
16-15."

The championship point was set by Christina Fucci ’02 and was scored by Keeler.

"Lexi just roofed it," House said. "One of them touched it and it was over."

"I was nervous about going to five, because it would’ve been hard to play a rally game," Keeler said. "The win was a relief. When it was over, we were all sobbing."

The victory was doubly sweet for House and Fucci. House’s mother comes to every game, but her brother has never seen her play. Fucci’s mother and sister were in town to see the game; neither have ever seen her play in college.

"Neither my brother nor Christina’s family were at the game Friday night," House said. "If we didn’t win Friday, they never would’ve gotten a chance to see us play. We thwarted fate and
played for our families."

"The only thing on my mind Friday night was beating Brandeis so my mom and sister could see me play," Fucci said. "It made my year to have them at the championship game."

In the first match of the tournament, the fifth seeded Cards took on fourth seed Brandeis University, a team Wesleyan had not faced before this season.

"We knew very little about Brandeis going in," Coach Lackey said. "Only who their setter was and that they were primarily an outside hitter focused team. It turned out that they were a very good defensive team as well."

The first game of the Brandeis match tested the will of the Cardinals. One team would go ahead, then the other would counter and even the score. It was 23-21 in the Cardinal’s favor in the end.

"Once the first game got to 18, 19, 20 points, it became apparent that winning that first game was going to add momentum for the rest of the match," Coach Lackey said.

The team did not take full advantage of the momentum, as Brandeis was able to come back and take the next two games 5-15 and 14-16. However, Wesleyan rallied and took the final two
games 15-7 and 15-10.

"[The 23-21 game] helped us get psyched," Fucci said. "Winning it with it that close gets you excited."

The excitement was carried over to Saturday and into their next game, against first-seed and host Middlebury College. The Cards decimated the Panthers 15-6, 15-7, 15-4.

"We were excited to play a NESCAC team," House said. "We felt comfortable playing them. We call it ‘relaxed intensity.’ Even though they had some substantial point leads, we were comfortable and calm."

The victory over Middlebury set up the showdown with the Engineers for the ECAC crown.

"It was a perfect way to end the season," House said. "We really learned our lesson from last year."

Last year’s ECAC tournament appearance was the first in recent memory for the Cardinals. The Cards, who were seeded sixth, felt they were too excited and nerves got the better of them.

"All the returning players were prepared [for this year]," House said. "We focused on MIT all tournament and we knew we could beat them if it came down to it, since we had earlier in the season."

The players and Lackey said they felt that it was the perfect end to a terrific season.

"This was a very fitting culmination to the best volleyball season in Wesleyan’s history," Coach Lackey said. "I am especially happy for our two senior captains, Elise House and Anne Johnson."

So, was it fate that brought Wesleyan to the championship game against MIT and gave them the victory? Was it just a coincidence that the longest match of the tournament was played before House’s brother and Fucci’s mother and sister arrived? Consider one further incident.

On Friday night, after the Brandeis match, Fucci was reported to have said "Massachusetts" in her sleep. Nothing preceded or proceeded it. 

"I don’t even remember saying it," Fucci said. "Vida [Long ’03] heard it. Is it fate? I don’t know, but if that’s not, I don’t know what is."