Matthew Barriga
Equinox Staff
The KSC women’s volleyball team has recently achieved its seventh consecutive win this season, adding yet another win to a thus far undefeated season.
However, according to team captain Niamh Dodd, they still have a lot to do to reach their goal. “Last season we were on a 15-game win streak, so we did pretty well. But we lost an All-American, and have a lot of new people on the court this year,” said Dodd. “We had a hard season opener and a bit of a tougher schedule this year. Given our situation right now, a seven game win streak is not bad. But I do want to beat last year’s win streak because we definitely have the potential,” Dodd said. When asked about the reason for the team’s success, Dodd attributed it mostly to the team’s chemistry. “We definitely have key players, but mostly it’s our dynamic. We’re all friends on and off the court, so the chemistry’s definitely there, which is the main component of a team,” added the captain.
Head Coach Robert Weiner also had a lot to say about the team’s success and how the dynamic of the team has changed since last season. Weiner said that last season was very focused on Rachel Lamica, KSC’s first All-American volleyball player. However, after Lamica’s graduation last year, the strategy has changed significantly. “Five of the six starters were starters last year, and these guys last year played a different role in the team’s success. We were focused on getting the ball to [Lamica]. This year, we’re moving the ball around, using all of our hitters, and focusing on the team’s defense.” Weiner continued to praise the team’s defense, saying it’s “significantly better” than last years, and attributed that as a huge factor to their success. He also said that a big help is having so many coaching assistants. According to Weiner, the ability to always have an eye on every player on the court, they’re able to spot more mistakes and help each individual improve. When asked about the potential challenges of having so many new players on the court, Weiner was nothing but optimistic. “The four freshmen have been terrific. It’s really exciting because in two years they’re going to be the center of the team. They’re really good.”
Emilyann Ashford is a first-year this year and has been playing volleyball for three-and-a-half years. When asked about the team’s accomplishments, she had a few words to say of her own. “Everyone’s really dedicated to get better,” said Ashford. She touched on how much the practices have helped her improve as well, saying “it’s a lot of concentration,” and thinks that Weiner’s style of coaching is extremely helpful. “He’s easy to talk to, but he’s also very specific with things we need to get better.” However, just like Dodd, Ashford primarily talked about the team’s chemistry. “I think we all see each other as a small family, which is really good. You have that trust between your teammates and that can get you really far.”
Matthew Barriga
can be contacted at
mbarriga@kscequinox.com
