“We were never really in our system on offense or on defense,” Cebron said. “We were never really playing as a cohesive unit.”

TEMPLE 3, HARVARD 1

In an error-filled match that featured a 0.000 hitting percentage frame by each team, Harvard was unable to overcome the Owls, succumbing 3-1 (30-20, 26-30, 30-12, 30-23) in its first match.

Trying to build upon its early-season success, the Crimson won the second game of the match but was unable to sustain its attack, posting eight errors to go along with eight kills in the third frame.

“In the third game, our passing really broke down,” Cebron said. “Everything sort of crumbled after that.”

After dropping the first game 30-20, Harvard came to life in the second frame. Paced by sophomore Mimi Hanley and junior Katie Turley-Molony, who each had nine kills in the match, the Crimson took advantage of Temple’s 11 errors to seal its victory, 30-26.

The Owls (7-7), however, bounced back in game three. Showing why it’s favored to win the Atlantic-10’s East division, Temple regained its rhythm and kept Harvard off balance, cruising to a 30-12 win.

Despite the Crimson’s best efforts, the Owls would carry that momentum into the fourth frame, closing out the match, 30-23.

“Maybe it’s just a facet of us being really new to the court,” Blotky said, “but I don’t think we showed up to play today.”

—Staff writer Karan Lodha can be reached at klodha@fas.harvard.edu.