(Davon Marion/Fourth Estate)
Patriots credit the “11:59 rule” and a team-first mindset for fueling a five-match win streak
BY PETER MAHLER, STAFF WRITER
Mason Women’s Volleyball defeated Duquesne 3-1 on Saturday, Oct. 4, earning their fifth consecutive victory and ninth out of their last 10. With an 11-4 record heading into the middle stretch of the season and all Atlantic-10 play from here on out, the Patriots are hungry for more.
“We’re setting the standard higher and higher,” said freshman outside hitter Kiera Hamilton. To reach that standard, the team credits a symbolic mantra.
“We have the rule of 11:59. Once it’s 11:59 p.m., your mind quickly resets. Whether you lost or won that night … you have to focus on going forward,” said junior middle blocker Chelsea Colter, who leads the team in blocks.
(Davon Marion/Fourth Estate)
The Patriots attribute a focused mindset to their strong start. Despite losing key contributors from last season, the addition of promising freshmen has provided the team with a mix of both experience and youthful energy.
Hamilton, who leads the Patriots with 220 kills, has made an immediate impact. Even with her individual success, she credits her teammates for their support and for setting her up with crucial passes that convert sets into points.
“I was really nervous coming out, and that went away the second I was able to step onto the court with my teammates,” Hamilton said.
Coach Megan Schifflett Bachmann attributes the resilience of her younger players to valuable guidance from upperclassmen: “Obviously, anytime you have young talent, the talent has to show up day in and day out,” said the fourth-year coach. “Our young kids have done an outstanding job of weathering the storm and weathering the pressure … and our upperclassmen have aided them in that.”
To maintain focus during a successful season, Schifflett Bachmann reiterated the importance of finding “new launching pads” throughout the season.
The team’s narrow 3-2 loss against Coppin State on Sept. 18 serves as the perfect “launching pad.” It is an example of how the Patriots can react to adversity.
“Each one of us knew … that wasn’t us,” said Colter. “This is not who we are and we can do a lot better.”
A loss after a three-game winning streak could potentially shatter a team’s confidence; instead, the Patriots delivered a statement.
There was little time to agonize over the defeat, as a hot Rutgers team was coming into the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC) in Fairfax with all the momentum in their favor. The Scarlet Knights had won seven straight games, sweeping their last four opponents.
They didn’t win a single set against the Patriots, as Mason came out on top 3-0.
“We just love good competition,” said Colter. That mindset comes naturally when the coach facilitates competition and intensity in every aspect of practice.
Still, Schifflett Bachmann recognizes the “tight-knit family culture” and the “sisterhood” that balances the competitive fire within her players’ hearts.
“We enjoy spending time together,” said Hamilton. “That’s part of the reason we want to keep winning.”
Even during the highs of success, the Patriots aren’t taking it for granted.
“As far as I’m concerned, the season starts over right now,” said Schifflett Bachmann.
“We know that a lot of teams in our conference see us as the weak link,” said Colter. “If we can beat a Big 10 team, then we know what we are capable of.”