“We may be at the halfway point on the calendar, but really the season—for those teams that are in contention—is just starting,” Way said. “It doesn’t feel like the halfway point at all. It feels like we are at the bottom of the main hill… the last bit of climb up Everest.” 

Harvard used the matchup against Bates to adjust back to a match environment which can be very different from practice. With spectators in the court, the body heat causes a temperature rise that can change the way the ball moves. 

“There were a bunch of Bates fans around from the Boston area, and that always brings up the heat in the courts,” Scherl said. “The ball gets a little bouncier, and it’s harder to put away the opponent, even if you are a little better than them.” 

While the Crimson defeated the Bobcats handily, the team was happy to be back on the court preparing for its big matchups, both of which tend to draw large crowds. 

“It’s always good to get a somewhat more comfortable match experience right before going into a big weekend like the one we’re going into now,” Scherl said. 

After the month-long break, the dismantling of Bates ensures that Harvard will carry its undefeated streak into its second and third Ivy League matchups of the season next weekend. 

“The team is excited they’re back,” Way said. “What more can we say? I think we’re ready.”

--Staff writer Hope Schwartz can be reached at hschwartz@college.harvard.edu