September 7, 2007
Fords Cruise Past #17 Redlands & Puget Sound at Pacific Coast Classic;
Haverford Improves to 6-0 on the Season

CLAREMONT, CA - The Haverford College volleyball team defeated the University of Redlands, ranked 17th in the national CSTV/AVCA Division III poll, 3-0 (30-21, 30-27, 30-19), on Friday evening. Earlier in the day, the Fords blanked Puget Sound, 3-0 (33-31, 30-28, 30-27), in the first day of competition of the 2007 Pacific Coast Classic, hosted by Pomona College. The wins improve Haverford's overall record to 6-0. The Fords have not lost a game in any of its six matches this season (18 games).

Haverford rallied from as many as six points down in the first game versus Puget Sound, winning 33-31. The Fords went down as many as four points in game two but came back to earn the hard fought 30-28 win. Haverford never trailed in game three, completing its fifth-straight 3-0 match win to open the season, 30-27.

Sophomore's Rachel and Rebecca Salvo hit .343 and .333 in the match and had 14 and 13 kills, respectively. Rebecca Salvo also tied a team-high with 20 digs, while Rachel Salvo registered 18 digs. Senior outside hitter Dana Mullenhard contributed nine kills and 11 digs, while senior outside hitter Laura Nuyen had eight kills and 20 digs. Senior K'Lynn Solt hit .278 in the match with six kills. Senior setter Emily Hinchcliff had a steady match, dishing out 43 assists in the win.

The Fords were all business against Redlands, handling the 17th-ranked team in the country, 30-21, 30-27, 30-19. Rachel Salvo led Haverford with 10 kills and a .435 hitting percentage in the match. Rebecca Salvo had nine kills, and each had 17 digs in the match. Nuyen also had ten kills with a .281 hitting percentage and two aces. Solt had seven blocks while Cantwell and Nuyen each had 11 digs.

"Everything was clicking tonight," said head coach Amy Bergin of her team's performance on Frirday. "They were having so much fun out on the court."

The Fords, who reached the second round of the D-III NCAA Tournament and won their first Centennial Conference Championship in 2006, were not ranked in the preseason top 25, but received five points in the CSTV/AVCA D-III preseason poll. Puget Sound was also not ranked in the top 25, but was the second team outside of the top 25 receiving 32 points. Redlands was ranked 17th with 193 points in the preseason poll.

Haverford will look to continue to sweep the competition at the Pacific Coast Classic with matches against Claremont Mudd-Scripps and George Fox on Saturday afternoon.

Complete box scores will be available at the end of the weekend.