Volleyball plays last tournament before Ivies

For Penn volleyball, it has been a long season. Some close losses, and a few blowouts, have been the sources of disenchantment within the team. But now is the time for the Quakers to pull together and overcome any of these past difficulties. This weekend's tournament at West Point, N.Y., the Army Invitational, will be the end of regular season matches for the Quakers. In this, a six-team round-robin affair, Penn will face Marist tonight at 8 p.m. The Quakers will then wrap up the weekend, as well as a tough season, against Central Florida, and later Army (10-19). These final matches begin at noon tomorrow. The Quakers hope to finish the season on a high note. Although they have struggled through matches during most of the regular season, the players and coaches are optimistic. "We're working on being aggressive and just having a good weekend," Penn coach Margaret Feeney said. "We're facing three good programs and we want to make sure that we come out and get better each time we step on the floor." The Quakers are viewing this weekend's matches as three excellent opportunities to prepare themselves for the upcoming Ivy Championship tournament. "This weekend is where it all comes together," Penn senior outside hitter Jessica Luftman said. "It's a make-it-or-break-it weekend. We prove a lot to ourselves when we can work together and work through the troubles we've been having." The Quakers are going to need to do a lot to get ready. The season has been less than spectacular, and they are certain to face some formidable opponents at the Ivies. A few victories at the Army Invitational will be essential to boost the Quakers' morale heading into the postseason. As for now, the Quakers are concentrating on just playing better. They need to overcome several physical and mental mistakes made in the past. "When we played Dartmouth," said Feeney, referring to short taps over the net, "they tipped on us. We need to get to those tips. We've worked on a few technical things to make sure we get to those tips." In addition, Penn needs to make use of a deep bench. With three games in two days, including two consecutive matches tomorrow, many players should see some action. "We're playing three matches, so we're going to use a lot of people," said Feeney. "We feel really good about the hitters that we have. The Quakers can look for solid play from middle blocker Diana Meek, who has been playing well recently, according to Feeney. They also benefit from the return of sophomore outside hitter K.C. Potter, who is back from the flu. Overall, the Quakers are enthusiastic about this weekend, as well as the approaching Ivy Championship. "I think we're anticipating and excited," said Luftman, "and ready to go into [the Ivies] and play."