When the Ivy League provided an extra week of practice before the season, the Penn volleyball team didn't use the time to hit the gym for two-a-days and fitness training.
Instead, the women scaled the rockclimbing wall at Pottruck and struggled to get through "the spider web" at a ropes course.
"People kept falling and getting stepped on," senior captain Kathryn Turner said with a laugh. "But it worked out."
Coming off a season in which they finished second in the Ivy League but lost a quartet of senior leaders, the Quakers have placed a heavy emphasis on teambuilding.
"We feel closer than ever, which is important considering how mental volleyball is and the importance of communication," junior Natalie Drucker said.
Despite losing outside hitters Laura Black and Anna Shlimak, along with setter Linda Zhang, the Quakers should be able to fill their spots without too much difficulty.
Although Zhang's seniority earned her more playing time than Megan Tryon last season, the two were relatively even in statistical output and ability.
And while Shlimak and Black were a formidable duo, there is a corps of four or five outside hitters competing for their spots.
Penn coach Kerry Carr said she'd likely use the early season non-conference tournaments to tinker with her lineup.
"In a few weeks I might have some more answers," she said.
The Red and Blue are confident that whatever lineup Carr puts on the court will be defensively sound. Blocking and defense were major strengths last year, and they expect those to be the team's hallmarks this season as well.
"We don't feel as if we have any physical or technical weaknesses," Drucker said. "Our only improvements need to be on consistency."
They'll need that consistency if they hope to beat their main Ivy rivals, Princeton and Yale. The Tigers were undefeated in winning the Ivy League last year and return all their key players.
However, Carr sees an opportunity for the Quakers.
"We're stronger than last year, while they're the same," she said. "Anytime you're stronger and your opponents aren't, that's a good situation to be in."
Stronger doesn't necessarily mean strong enough to win. In order to constantly strive for improvement, Carr has set tangible, numerical benchmarks that she believes the team needs to surpass if it wants to win.
"The goal, as it is every year, is an Ivy League championship," Carr said. "But we also know where we want to be, and we haven't gotten there yet."
