By Erika Carrubba
The Northeastern volleyball team opened its first season in the Colonial Athletic Conference with a four-game win over MarylandBaltimore County (UMBC). However, after that game, the Huskies’ luck seemed to run out.
Already missing setter Bree Peterson, who is “under serious medical care” and out for the season according to coach Ken Nichols, the team started their season with high hopes. Ranked third in the preseason coach’s poll and coming off a strong final season in America East, the team recruited three talented freshmen and expected to be a viable presence in the CAA.
“We are a young team, but we have depth and at full strength we can contend in this league,” Nichols said. “The question is if we can get to full strength right now.”
However, full strength for this team is going to be a struggle. After defeating UMBC, the team headed to Villanova. They lost in four games, but that was the least of their worries. Junior Whitney Turner went down in that game with a serious ankle sprain. Turner had been leading the team with .435 hitting percentage against Villanova. As the team headed off to California for the Loyola Maramount/Four Points Sheraton Classic, they left behind sophomore Brittany Eukovich and junior Chelsea Carroll, who were awaiting NCAA certification. Junior Ivana Pavlisin also sprained her ankle shortly before the tournament began, which limited her playing time.
The Huskies faced off against Loyola Marymount first and lost in three games. It was in this game which freshman Lauren DeTurk suffered the team’s second severe ankle sprain. Despite the injury, she posted 10 kills and six digs. Idaho and Coastal Carolina both swept the Huskies, but not before suffering two more injuries. Freshman Brianna Seitz suffered a stress fracture in her right leg and junior Blair St. Onge also endured a possible stress fracture. Senior Lindsay Feller’s back issues also began flaring up during the tournament, and she is listed as day-to-day.
“At one point in California, the referee asked me to sub for an injured girl on the court, and for the first time in my career I looked at my bench and had no one,” Nichols said. “We have a lot of depth, but no one is that deep.”
Despite the losses and string of injuries the team managed some impressive numbers early in the season. Sophomore Kira Batura has been switching between the libero position and outside hitter in the first few matches. She had 25 digs in both of the first two matches.
Senior Larissa Adomat hitting percentage led the team against Loyola and Idaho with .533 and .500 respectively.
“Her play has always been exceptional,” Nichols said. “During the tournament she and Ivana (Pavlisin) clicked together and her hitting percentage went up.”
