By MILES SOUZA

The Beloit College Women’s volleyball team continues struggling as they approach the season’s halfway point. Despite their 0-11 record, the Bucs have seen improvements in their recent games and look to build on that as they enter conference play.

The Bucs started their season with a trip to John Hopkins University for a tournament. Their three-game schedule was against some of the toughest competition around. They matched against the number 19, nine, and one-ranked teams in Division III women’s volleyball. Despite competing in one set against John Hopkins, the ranked competition overmatched the Bucs.

Another loss came a few days later at the hands of the Rockford University Regents. The game’s outlook before the matchup showed promise of a close back-and-forth game after the Bucs beat the Regents 3-2 last season. However, they couldn’t edge out the Regents in tight sets. 

Yet another road trip was around the corner for the Buccaneers, as they were headed to Eau Claire for four games. These games had a similar result. Struggles in scoring continued, serves were inconsistent, and play out of the back was messy for the Bucs. 

The Buccaneers had to play through one more road game against Eureka before finally getting to play in their home opener. The Bucs took a set against Eureka, dropping the game 3-1. But, there were glimpses of hope as the team seemed to put some good rallies and good plays together.

After a long, dreadful time on the road, the team finally made it to their home opener. The stands were packed, the crowd was loud, and the first two sets did not disappoint. They took the first set by a score of 26-24, with a big comeback at the end. 

That momentum carried but didn’t last long enough, as they dropped the next three. Middle blocker Camille Ledoux ’25 led the charge on offense and has for most of the season. Libero McKayla Simao ’25 has been playing some of the best defense lately and is keeping the energy up for the team. She’s led in digs for most games and has been a floor general for the team throughout the season.

When asked about the recent success and competitiveness of the team, Ledoux credited it to “when we each individually focus on making sure we do our jobs the best, we play the best.” She added, “Without worrying about everything else, it helps the entire team.”

The Bucs are a very inexperienced, young team starting to figure each other out. After losing some players to graduation, quitting, and injury, the team was left very thin after the conclusion of last season and looked to fill many gaps in their lineup. 

Players have been pushed to different positions, and new lineups are being tested. The team is still looking to find that spark and chemistry they found when they capped off last season with a three-game winning streak. 

Beloit will look for their first win as they head to Mount Mary for a game on Tuesday, September 26. They open conference play the following week.

Featured Image Credit: Beloit College