2011 Season Review

Signature Wins: The Fords beat the odds in a 3-1 conference quarterfinal road victory at Swarthmore on Nov. 2, after falling to the Garnet just four days earlier in their regular season finale.  Laura Ramos tallied a match-high 18 kills and Jenine Abbassi added 15 more for Haverford, who ended the year with a 14-14 overall record, 6-4 in league play. 

Season Notes:  The Fords carried on a storied tradition under first-year coach Michele Benoit, as she collected her first Haverford win on Sep. 9 in a 3-0 shutout of Bates College.  Haverford was led offensively by Ramos (322 kills) and Abbassi (192 kills).  Haley Lowrance led the Fords with 837 sets on the year.  Defensively, Ramos added a team-best 413 digs to her stat sheet, while Sarab Brody dove for 392 digs this fall.  

Postseason Awards: All-Centennial Conference: Haley Lowrance (first team), Ramos (second team), and Abbassi (third team). Earning conference academic honor roll were:  Olivia Coburn-Flynn, Emily Mills and Jordan Scolaro. 

Looking Ahead:  The Fords will be affected by the graduation of Abbassi, Ramos and Caitlyn Tranquillo.   The team returns six players, including two rookies who now have veteran experience. 

2011 Season Outlook

The Haverford College women's volleyball team enters the 2011 campaign with high expectations under first year head coach Michele Benoit.

"Our goal is to win the Centennial Conference and continue the successful tradition of the program," said Benoit. 

The Fords will have experience on their side with six players, including three seniors, returning from last year's 18-13 team that reached the semifinals of the conference tournament.  This year's squad will be hungry to reclaim its spot on top of the Centennial mountain after having its string of four consecutive conference championships snapped.

Junior Olivia Coburn-Flynn, who ranked second in the conference in blocks per set (0.96), returns to hold down the middle of Haverford's front line. Coming off strong junior seasons, outside hitter Laura Ramos and defensive specialist Caitlyn Tranquillo will have expanded roles in their senior years. Ramos, expected to be the primary target of sophomore setter Haley Lowrance,  was second the team with 288 kills. A solid defensive player, Tranquillo was the Fords' leader in digs (477) and service aces (51).

Haverford, picked to finish fourth in the Centennial Conference preseason coaches poll, will face numerous tests during the season with six 2010 NCAA tournament teams, including the defending Centennial champion Franklin & Marshall, on the slate. In the opening month of the season, the Fords will face the Coast Guard Academy (NCAA second round), California Lutheran University (second round), Stevens Institute of Technology (third round) and Juniata College (semifinal round). In October, Haverford takes on Eastern University (second round) and Cabrini College (first round). Three of Haverford's opponents begin the year ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association's preseason poll: Juniata (sixth), Eastern (seventh) and Cal Lutheran (eighth).