What is it with the Fall and Northeastern athletic success? I know the Athletics Department introduced a new slogan, “Now is the Time!,” but I didn’t think they were serious – apparently, they are.
After the women’s soccer team won a conference championship and the men’s soccer team reached the conference championship game, the volleyball team is adding to the riches, winning the first regular season Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title in Northeastern school history, though this one came as no surprise. In the CAA, the volleyball team has finished seventh, fourth, second and now first – progression that is obvious to even the most untrained eye.
The man at the helm of the Northeastern volleyball team is Ken Nichols. Nichols came to Northeastern in 2000 and his tenure at Northeastern includes only one losing season. It has been a long time since Northeastern has hosted the tournament and been the No. 1 seed going in.
“It was a major focus, in part because, not many people are aware of this, but last year we were literally one free ball away from hosting last year,” Nichols said. “We were down at Hofstra and we had a chance to beat them in four, they gave us a free ball and we didn’t end up putting that ball down and we ended up losing the fourth and the fifth, and one game behind Delaware who we held the advantage against in the tie breaker, so if we put that one ball down at Hofstra we would have hosted last year. I think that, coupled with the obvious advantages of hosting, really spurred this team to make every effort to bring this tournament here.”
One of the leaders of the Northeastern squad is senior outside hitter Lauren DeTurk, who earlier this season became only the sixth Husky player to have 1,000 career kills and digs. She too is excited to be hosting the CAA tournament but not sure how it will feel yet.
“I don’t think we are really going to feel the sense of the home court until probably we are getting ready for the banquet on Friday and instead of being at a hotel being rushed we will be at home at our dorms getting ready,” DeTurk said. “I don’t think we really know exactly how it feels just yet.”
Another facet of this championship might be the chance to face rival Hofstra. Hofstra and Northeastern are travel partners in the CAA, so they spend their fair share of time together both on and off the court.
“I want to play Hofstra. I know that. A lot of people think it would be easier not to play them of course. We killed William ‘ Mary both times, but I really want to play [Hofstra]. I couldn’t imagine not playing them,” DeTurk said.
Nichols sees the rivalry from a numerical point of view.
“The dynamic of the CAA now as it exists; we don’t play everybody twice except your travel partner. I was looking over the numbers the other day during my tenure here in the CAA, these past four years, Hofstra is still the No. 1 team for win-loss percentage. Now after this season we’re number two. So that speaks to the rivalry.”
Even if these two rivals don’t meet in the semifinals it won’t affect the Huskies approach: one volley at a time. There is nothing left for this team except to get
in a few final practices, then watch their peers in the first round.
If you haven’t got a chance to watch volleyball, it is a wonder. It is a fast, athletic, and even somewhat physical game. This Sunday I urge you to take in the game at Cabot Gymnasium and support the Huskies as they attempt to reach the NCAA tournament.
Wouldn’t it be something if it Northeastern had two trips to the NCAA tournament, twice as many as the last four seasons combined. It has been quite the trip for the volleyball team to this point, but it’s not over yet. Two more games remain, two games, potentially 10 matches, at most 250 points. That is all the separates them from heading back to the NCAA tournament.
– Keith Lavon can be reached at [email protected].
