Last Saturday, rookie outside hitter Liz Hood '15 put on a remarkable performance at the Brandeis Invitational. In the volleyball team's final match of the tournament, Hood pounded a career-high 18 kills against Rhode Island College to help Brandeis finish 3-0 at the tournament and improve to 5-2 overall.

The Albuquerque Academy graduate is proving to be a great asset for the Judges. She has averaged just over 3 1/2 kills in the first seven matches of the season, giving her the highest kills per set ratio on the team. Hood also leads the team in total kills (75), points (80) and points per set (3.8).

The adjustment has been smooth, she explains, because the team has been extremely supportive.

"I really like the team, and I feel like we have great team chemistry," she said. "I feel like that adds a lot to enjoying the game and playing well."

Hood believes that the team's strong team bond helps them perform better on the court.

"I think we all enjoy each other's company. It's easy to go to practice and want to work hard. I enjoy going to practice—I actually look forward to it every day. And [I look forward to] games too. Traveling as a team is fun because we all get along."

When a rookie enjoys the game so much that she's looking forward to every practice, it's clear why she's having so much success during her first season. But while the team has been successful so far this season, Hood recognizes that there is a lot of work left to be done.

"I think we need to keep working together as a team," she said. "Our coach [Michelle Kim] really helps us out and she's always thinking about what's best for the team and how we can get better during practice. I think we'll keep improving from here."