The senior volleyball players finished their career at Neil Fieldhouse on Sunday against Wooster, adding one more win to an overall record of 33-2 from their four years on their home floor.
These senior volleyball players have carried their team to the NCAA tournament two years in a row—there are numerous all-conference players, tournament MVPs, even an All-American honorable mention.
“Senior night was full of emotions. It felt great to win for the seniors because they’ve done so much for our program,” said sophomore middle hitter Haley Bitzer.
The game against Wooster ended 3-1 (18-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-12) in favor of DePauw. Seniors led in major stat areas such as outside hitter Lauren Falotico, who had 16 kills on the day, setter Faith Rolwes, who had 42 assists, and defensive specialist Keely McGrath, who had 24 digs.
The Tigers are now 3-1 in the NCAC conference and continue to battle for an NCAA berth.
“It feels good to have a winning record but of course we will always feel the sting of the one loss,” said Bitzer.
The conference loss against Hiram seemed to be the turning point for the Tigers this season.
“Our team has taken tremendous steps since our conference loss. This past weekend against Milikin we've played some of the best team volleyball we've played all season. We need to continue to come out aggressively and not start slowly like we've had trouble with in the earlier half of the season,” said Bitzer.
The senior class leads the team in more than just statistics. “Their dedication to the volleyball program is unprecedented,” said Bitzer. “Our seniors will do everything they can to see our team succeed. Their leadership and competitiveness has transformed DePauw’s volleyball program the last 4 years.”
The Tigers return to action at Kenyon on the 17th.
Q&A with Seniors Sarah Burtenshaw and Lauren Falotico
The DePauw: How did it feel to come out and win on your senior night?
Sarah Burtenshaw: It was awesome to come out and win on our senior night. With such a tough schedule, we haven't had the opportunity to have many home matches this season. It just makes it that much sweeter when it does happen! Our senior class is 33-2 at home over the last four years, so we love defending our home court.
Lauren Falotico: It felt great to win on our senior day. Our class has become very close through these four years, and it meant a lot to us that we could celebrate our time in the DePauw volleyball program with a win.
TDP: What has this program meant to you throughout your college experience?
SB: This program has meant the world to me over the past four seasons. I tore my ACL in April, so I haven't been able to participate in most of this season, but I still feel like a part of the team and that has shown me exactly how much all of my teammates and coaches are there for each other. It has been an amazing ride and I wouldn't change a thing.
LF: For me, the DePauw volleyball program has been about so much more than just volleyball. My teammates are my best friends, and I wouldn't trade my time with them for anything. I have learned so much from my teammates and I can honestly say that all of my favorite college memories have been with them.
TDP: How does it feel to be 3-1 in conference? What does the team need to improve on if you hope to reach the NCAA tournament?
SB: It feels good to be 3-1 in conference. Our loss to Hiram was a tough battle that we wish we could change, but we'll hopefully have another shot at them in the tournament. Our conference is getting stronger and stronger, and that has to motivate us to keep pushing to get better. To make the NCAA tournament, we need to keep working on our consistent speed. Coming out strong and setting the pace in our favor makes all the difference.
LF: We had a tough conference loss to Hiram, so we are not thrilled about our current conference record, but we are excited to continue to improve and compete with the remaining conference teams on our schedule. If we want to go to the NCAA tournament, we need to continue to play as a team. When we play together, we win.
