A fresh outlook was all the Harvard men’s volleyball team needed for a new outcome.

Inspired by a pregame speech from first-year coach Rob Keller on Saturday, the Crimson (5-5, 3-3 Hay) played the best it has all season. After steamrolling the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) 3-0 on Saturday, Harvard clawed past perennial power Vassar 3-2 on Sunday in a season-defining win.

“[Tri-captain and middle blocker] Alex [Kowell] and I haven’t beaten Vassar since we’ve been here,” said tri-captain and setter Mike Bookman. “I think this really turns our whole season around.”

The season may have turned around the day before, when Keller delivered his speech. Following a frustrating February, the rookie coach had a revelation, which he shared with his players.

“They are always grinding,” Keller said. “They were grinding to get into Harvard. They are always grinding on their books. After we lost last weekend, the bus was quiet because they were all studying.

“I told them that they just have to play volleyball. We wanted to break out of the sameness.”

The weekend was anything but the same for the Crimson. The victory over the Brewers was its first since 1999, and the two conference wins were Harvard’s second and third of the season.

The Crimson next plays Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Springfield before returning to Cambridge to wrap up its home season against East Stroudsburg and Queens this weekend.

Harvard 3, Vassar 2

Former Harvard captain Justin Denham ’02—the Crimson’s main offensive weapon last season—was the line judge on Sunday. Luckily, Harvard wouldn’t need his help—as either a sympathetic official or force at the net—to beat the Brewers (12-4, 7-4).

After falling behind 2-1, the Crimson rallied to take the fourth game and the tiebreak to avenge its 3-0 February defeat with a 3-2 (30-22, 27-30, 23-30, 30-19, 15-11) marathon victory.

With the tiebreak knotted at five, Harvard went on a 5-1 run that all but clinched the win. Kills by sophomore outside hitter Will Reppun and junior tri-captain opposite Russ Mosier gave the Crimson a 7-5 lead.

After a kill by Vassar’s Steve Gilhool pulled the Brewers within one, a Kowell kill and consecutive Vassar errors gave Harvard an insurmountable 10-6 advantage, allowing the Crimson to coast to victory.

“Our philosophy is that when we have the ball, you are going to pay,” Keller said.

Five Harvard hitters recorded kills in the tiebreak, a testament to the offense’s diversity.