The Holy Cross volleyball team will be back in Coach George Blaney '61 Gymnasium for two matches this weekend taking on Patriot League foe Lehigh on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. before hosting Lafayette on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m.
Friday's match will be the the Crusaders' Deaf* Awareness Game. Last year, the Crusaders held the Deaf* Awareness game and came back from a 1-0 first-set deficit to beat Bucknell 3-1. Outside hitter Abbie Lane led the the rally with a 14 kill and 15 dig double-double effort.
Lane, who minors in deaf studies on The Hill, has spearheaded the Deaf* Awareness Game for the Crusaders the last two years for the program, being involved with planning and other facets, such as creating a sticker that will be handed out to fans who attend.
“Organizing this event has consisted mostly of reaching out to the Deaf community to spread awareness and ask for support at the game," Lane said. “I worked with Professor Li and Professor Clark in the Deaf Studies department, and together we hope to see quite the crowd this Friday night. We have put together several aspects of the event that are very significant to the Deaf community and important to raising awareness within the hearing community. I’ve also reached out to several different organizations in the Deaf community in the surrounding areas of Worcester to attend the game and come support.”
Lane also discussed what will happen during the match on Friday.
“There will be a live interpreter at the game ,along with athletes signing the national anthem before the first whistle,” Lane said. “The first eight points of the first set the crowd will be completely silent, with encouragement to participate in signing different ASL signs for typical volleyball terminology, such as ‘volleyball,’ a ‘kill,’ a ‘point,’ and how to cheer using sign language. There will be flyers and stickers handed out at the game as well.”
