Online exclusive: Four-peat

Mark Graziano/The Captain's Log

Winning 83 straight USA South Conference games is no easy feat, but that is exactly what has happened during the past four years for the CNU Volleyball team. Led by Seniors Mary Horner and Caitlyn Jansen, the team has now also won four straight USA South Conference titles, after sweeping the tournament at home this past weekend.

With a strong energy and desire to win, the CNU Volleyball team is a dream to watch. Their composure and calmness is evident in everything they do from practice to drills, as well as throughout their pregame warm-ups. Losing now is not an option after coming this far in the season without a loss at home. In front of a loud crowd at the Freeman Center last week, victory was the only option.

To begin the USA South Tournament, the Captains battled Shenandoah in the Quarterfinal round that was full of action. CNU came into the game looking assertive, as well as dedicated to detail. From the first serve, all the way to the final point, the Captains were active on defense by using aggressive hands at the net, as well as constant communication between players.

The Captains outplayed Shenandoah by overpowering them with great plays, led by sophomore middle blocker Bailey Jensen, sophomore striker Alyssa Kidd and sophomore outside hitter Cory Harris. The Captains defeated Shenandoah 3-0, sweeping all three sets.

“We give out all and take each set one game at a time. We always study styles of other teams and make sure we play as a team,” said Jensen after the game. Studying the opponent seems to be an effective method, as the Captains advanced to the Semifinal match with the win.

In that match, they would take on Methodist University, in a game that was quite intriguing from the start. The Captains faced Methodist two times in the regular season, sweeping them in three sets both times. But the regular season never compares to the USA South Tournament, where more pressure is on the line.

The game saw junior striker Jessie Heavenrich in the prime of her game, as she was part of numerous highlight-worthy plays throughout the match. She certainly showed everyone why she was named USA South Player of the Year as she delivered kills to opposing kills and kept the moral of her team up throughout the game.

The Captains swept Methodist University once again after jumping out to an early lead and taking the match 3-0.

The final test of the team’s strength lied in their battle against N.C. Wesleyan University in the championship game held this past Saturday. This was it, and everything was on the line. If the team wanted to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, they would have to win against N.C. Wesleyan. The team began pregame warm-ups with a loose and fun energy. But once the game began, there was nothing on their minds but a win.

As the game began, the Captains jumped out to an early lead and seemed prepared to continue doing what they do best, winning. Sophomore outside hitter Kara Elder provided multiple kills as the powerful duo of Jensen and senior middle blocker Caitlyn Jansen took over on the defensive end. With dedication to passing and communication, it was apparent that every point mattered on their way to a 3-0 victory.

“We are so excited to win this game and this tournament here at home. We are undefeated at home and we work hard to win. As a team we are really excited to play the NCAA tournament here at the Freeman Center,” said Harris after the championship game.

After making it to the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Tournament in 2009, Head Coach Lindsay Birch has led her team into the tournament once again. “We take our time in practice to play against each other and compete for any spot on the team. During the game, I try to remain calm because I believe screaming never produces results, but being calm and collected shows my team the reaction I want them to have. Every championship is appreciated and we played against a great defensive team in Wesleyan. We will work this week on fundamentals but we are ready to work.”

Posted by Chris Brooks on Nov 10 2010. Filed under Sports, Volleyball. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.