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Harvard women’s volleyball (0-3) opened its fall season at the University of North Florida Invitational with three tough losses against non-conference opponents.

The Crimson started the weekend with a Friday night loss to Howard University (4-2), a team that destroyed its competition across the weekend. But after a sweep by Howard, Harvard was able to take a set in its games against both University of North Florida (3-4) and Presbyterian College (2-4).

Despite the losses, Harvard’s first match-ups gave the team an opportunity to showcase new talent, including standout freshman outside hitter Sofia Rossi. Rossi led the Crimson in a number of key moments, nailing 43 kills for Harvard in three games — an average of 3.91 per set.

Rossi was named to the UNF All National Invitational Team following her performance this past weekend, making a name for herself entering her freshman season — and providing new talent for the Crimson.

Harvard 0, Howard 3

Harvard’s first set of the season got off to a strong start, building a call-and-response scoring momentum early in the set. Then Howard’s dominance began to show as they pulled ahead for a six point lead at 11-5.

The Bison kept a firm lead on the set with a four-point run later on that extended the lead to nine. Despite a Crimson effort to snag three points at the end of the set, a Harvard service error closed the set 25-18 for the Bison.

Howard was consistent in the second set as Harvard fought to hold its own. With a close start of the game, things were looking up for the Crimson as it took an 11-9 lead— until Howard delivered a series of 10 points against Harvard to widen the gap 19-11.

Harvard did not give the set away and held a six-point run towards the end of the set, but the Crimson was ultimately unable to match Howard and fell 25-20. Despite the team’s misgivings, the Crimson’s junior outside hitter Ali Farquhar played a strong offensive second set, delivering six of her nine kills of the game.

Though the Crimson refused to end the match without a well-fought battle in the third set — including back-and-forth scoring and a total 12 score ties — the Bison were able to snag the last four points with back and forth kills and aces to close out the set 24-22 and ultimately sweep Harvard.

Harvard 1, North Florida 3

Harvard’s second game of the season started like its first. The Crimson seemed to begin hot, jumping out to a 5-2 lead behind an efficient attack. But the wheels fell off as Harvard errors powered a North Florida charge. The Crimson stopped the bleeding with the Ospreys up 15-11.

Harvard made a push to tie the set at 17 powered by two service aces by underclassmen, sophomore setter Nicole Cornell and Rossi. The service line was a problem for the Crimson last season and something the team will look to improve this season.

North Florida broke the tie and took a lead that did not fade as the Ospreys took the first set 25-22.

The second set started poorly for Harvard as North Florida pounced to an early 6-1 lead. Unfazed, the Crimson chipped away at the lead before a streak of kills gave Harvard a 12-10 advantage.

The Ospreys responded with a run of their own that started with two attack errors by the Crimson. The two teams would exchange runs and the lead for the rest of the set. Ultimately, Harvard got the last laugh as kills by junior outside Ali Farquhar and freshman outside Sophia Rossi started the winning push. Cornell put the finishing touches on the 25- 19 set with another service ace.

Set three was one-sided from the start. North Florida was in system and unaffected by the Crimson defense as a barrage of kills avalanched into an 18-4 lead for the Ospreys. North Florida reversed to average for the rest of the set, giving Harvard points off of attack errors, but the Ospreys built enough of a lead early to cruise to a 25-17 third set.

Backs against the wall, the Crimson once again came out cold in the fourth set. Seven errors by Harvard gift-wrapped an 11-6 lead to North Florida. Two kills by senior outside Brynne Faltinsky and the strong service of Rossi paired up to tie the set at 12.

Just when the Crimson was building hope it could force a fifth set, the Ospreys crushed any Harvard dreams. Six unanswered points opened a lead for North Florida that the Crimson never closed. The lead only grew and Harvard’s hopes were officially dashed by a service ace to close the set 25-16.

Harvard 1, Presbyterian 3

In the third game of the weekend, Rossi gave her most convincing performance yet. Despite the team’s loss, she brought the team a total 22 kills — the most of any Harvard player in a game this past weekend.

That energy was not immediate. Harvard started the matchup against Presbyterian trailing 0-12 after the Blue Hose made a number of kills and benefitted off of Harvard’s numerous errors. And while the Crimson made a number of efforts to tighten the gap, they were only able to bring the differential to eight points with a final first set score of 25-17.

Rossi took the opportunity to get three of the Crimson’s first three points of the set, giving the team the early advantage. While the Blue Hose was able to tie up the match and eventually take the lead over Harvard, the Crimson was successful in fending them off, making a 9-1 run towards the end of the game from which Presbyterian could not recover. Harvard made their mark and took the second set 25-19.

The Crimson carried its energy into the third set, putting up a brilliant battle against the Blue Hose. A relentless back and forth for the lead made for a thrilling matchup until Presbyterian ran from the 16-16 tie to get nine uninterrupted points on Harvard and claim the set.

The third set loss seemed to serve as fuel for the Crimson into the fourth. Presbyterian set an early lead in the game, but Harvard stayed close behind before sneaking into the top following a five-point run that took advantage of Blue Hose errors. But the point-for-point battle eventually came to an end when Presbyterian delivered its final blows to Harvard and ended the set 28-25 and the game 1-3.

The series of losses marks only the beginning of Harvard’s season, with a number of opportunities to show off improvement and new skill on the court.

Harvard will host its first series of home games against Washington State University and Seton Hall University next weekend on Friday and Saturday, respectively, during the Harvard Invitational.

—Staff writer Elyse C. Goncalves can be reached at elyse.goncalves@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @e1ysegoncalves.
—Staff writer Reed M. Trimble can be reached at reed.trimble@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @ReedTrimble1.