Last week was a disappointing one for the Pomona-Pitzer women’s volleyball team.

As the Sagehens looked forward to two pivotal SCIAC matches against Occidental and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS), they were bitten by the proverbial injury bug. Veteran leader Alison Rindlaub ’02, who suffered from a viral infection, and defensive specialist Liz Shatzer ’03, who was injured in a previous match, were unable to play. The loss of these two fierce competitors left the team with an uphill battle.

At a disadvantage from the start, the Sagehens fought hard but were unable to overcome a hard-hitting Occidental team, falling to the Tigers in four sets: 15-6, 11-15, 15-2, 15-11.

The next evening against neighboring CMS, the Sagehens gave an even more inspiring performance. The women, fueled by the natural and intense rivalry with the Athenas, gave their all, but they were unable to come up with a victory. The Sagehens ultimately dropped three of four sets to the Athenas: 15-10, 6-15, 15-12, 15-13. In spite of the loss, team captains Erika Gamst ’01 and Jessica Franzetti ’01 gave spectacular efforts. Gamst, the team setter, delivered balls beautifully, allowing Franzetti to rack-up a career high 18 kills. Colleen Chrisco ’03 also contributed to the Sagehens effort with four aces.

Tuesday night against Cal Tech, the Sagehens completely destroyed the Beavers in three sets. Not even allowing five points in any of the three games, the Hens evened their SCIAC record at 3-3.

The win and two losses drop the Sagehens’ overall record to 6-7. Undaunted by their disappointing record, the Sagehens look forward to their last match-up before fall break. A home game, the team has a good chance Friday night against Cal Lutheran. The game starts at 7:30 in the Rains Center, so come out and support your womens volleyball team. A healthy Pomona-Pitzer squad looks to bounce back from last week and pad their record.