Sophomore Caitlin Callihan set the pace for Hopkins athletics this week. The Texas native is a starting outside hitter for the women’s volleyball team. She was recently named the Centennial Conference Player of the Week for her astounding 53 kills in a three game span against opponents Stevenson, Gallaudet and Swarthmore. By the end of her torrid week, in which she recorded more than 20 kills in a match twice, the team had a 3-0 record in the conference.
We sat down with Caitlin to talk to her not only about her personal accomplishments, but also about the success of her team thus far and how the team plans to approach the rest of the seaon.
The News-Letter: The start to your season has been very good with a 4-1 record in the Centennial Conference. Could you comment on your last game against Ursinus?
Caitlin Callihan: We approached our match against Ursinus the same way that we would approach any other match. We wanted to keep our focus by playing to our best ability and treating every point the same. We played hard and like any other team, we made a few mistakes, but we were able to come back and finish strong.
N-L: What does it mean to you to have your personal accomplishments play such a huge role in the success of your team?
CC: The team has been pushing each other and really working on bringing our best effort to every practice and match. My personal achievements are a result of just that. I know that the team expects my best 100 percent of the time. It means a lot to me that we are doing so well. Every member of the team has been contributing to our successes equally, and it feels great to know that we all hold each other accountable for bringing our personal best at all times.
N-L: How did it feel to be named Player of the Week in such a pivotal week in your team’s season?
CC: Volleyball is a game where every point and play relies on more than one person. The team has made such large improvements from the beginning of the season to now. Every individual has really been living up to their personal roles on the team. Being named Centennial Conference Player of the Week is a huge honor, and I would not have received it without the coaching staff and team’s hard work.
N-L: With such an important role on a team, being a major point scorer, your team relies on you. How do you embrace that pressure and translate it into points in clutch situations?
CC: This season has been great because our mental game has improved so much. The pressure situations in matches are exactly what we want. These situations are great for us to practice playing every point the same, whether it’s the first point or game point. It shouldn’t matter if we are winning or losing, we play just as hard in both situations. My mental game has really improved from this strategy and I believe that the pressure situations have made the team stronger and better.
N-L: What personal goals have you set for yourself for the rest of the season? How will reaching these goals impact the ability of the team to attain short-term and long-term goals set by all of you at the beginning of the season?
CC: I have many goals that are short and long term, however I don’t necessarily have any statistical or tangible goals when it comes to the game. My personal goals have a lot to do with the team’s. Every girl on the team is extremely important in contributing to our goals. With this, we have had a few injuries since the season started so maintaining our health is a team goal that we have all dedicated our best efforts to. Long term, I would like to improve my mental game as much as possible and always bring my best so that I can contribute, in whatever way needed, to the team’s ultimate goal of winning the conference and making it to the Sweet Sixteen.
N-L: Caitlin, we wish you and the rest of your team the best of luck for the remainder of the season and hope the success continues.
CC: Thanks a lot!
You can catch the volleyball team back on the court on Oct. 18 to face conference opponent Haverford in Haverford, Pa.
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