After playing a match that featured mostly finesse—a variety of dinks and decoys—Harvard kept it a little simpler, charged by McKiernan, who finished the night with a club leading 16 kills. Cardet also had an impressive period and finished with 15.
The game also featured the majority of senior opposite hitter Juan Ramos’ 16 digs. Despite the sometimes shaky play, at the end of the night, coach Rob Keller was pleased with the victory.
“It was a team effort. When we play as a team, we win, when we play as individuals our playing is fragmented, and we don’t play well,” Keller said.
But senior night was still special for Cardet and classmate setter Russ Mosier.
“For one thing, I’m really happy to get a win on senior night for Juan,” McKiernan said.
And when asked again about his energy’s positive effect on his team’s play, the modest native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, offered up a J.C. of his own: “Just coincidence.”