After a very successful season last year, the University of Tampa’s women’s volleyball team is going into this season with a strong, positive attitude. Last season, the Tampa team made it to the national championship game and that experience is pushing the team to work even harder to make it back to that game. To get to where they need to be so they can compete in the championship game again this year, players such as senior Frances Cardenas, junior Kahley Patrick and sophomore Berkley Whaley are setting goals not only for themselves but also for the entire team.
Cardenas, who is a senior this year and a back row defensive player, is looking ahead to what she knows the team can accomplish. “This year our goals are to obviously get back to where we were last year, to the National Championship game,” Cardenas said. “We also want to accomplish something we couldn’t accomplish last year, which is win a national title.”
However, the team knows they have other goals they need to accomplish first. “Before we can win a National Title, more mini goals we have would be to win conference and then to host regionals because we want to be able to host regionals at home,” said Patrick, a team setter.
“I also think another goal is to play to the best of our ability at all times, and to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses so we can be a better team in the long run,” outside hitter Whaley added.
For the team to reach all of these goals, the girls know the little things they need to work on so they will run smoothly on the court.
“We (the front row) are working on painting the court (as well as) hitting more than one spot on the court,” Whaley said. “As we play better teams, they will be hitting different positions on the court so we need to improve in that aspect too, so we can shake up their defense and the success of their front row hitters.”
For front row players to be able to switch up where they hit on the court, defensive players and the setters also have to focus on their personal goals. “We have a lot more hitters who are taller this year,” Patrick added. “So as a setter, we are trying to get the hitters to hit the best ball we can give them, and we are trying to put them in smart situations so we can finalize a play.”
Defensive players also have what they need to work on so that the setters and hitters can be successful and to make sure that the court is protected.
“In order for our hitters and setters to do what they need to do, we need to get our defense to where it needs to be,” Cardenas said. “We can always improve on our defense. There is a lot of room for improvement, so if we keep working hard in practice, we should be fine and see that translation on the court.”
Even though the team has already been working hard this year, they know there are expectations place upon them. “Obviously everyone expects us to get back to the championship,” Cardenas said. “But I think it is a challenge we will rise up to this season, along with just enjoying everything that happens as a whole.”
Even with the expectations the team has on them, the team is still enjoying everything they can together. “I love our team this year,” Patrick said. “Our chemistry is awesome, we have a strong bond not only on the court but off the court as well, so it’s fun to come into practice everyday and see the girls I love the most.”
The Tampa women’s volleyball team’s first game is home on Sept. 27 against Florida Tech and it should be a great game to start off the season.
Paige Shallcross can be reached at paige.shallcross@spartans.ut.edu.