October 15, 2021 | SPORTS | By Olivia Xerras | Photo by Anil Jergens
Colorado College volleyball is dominant. Still only halfway through their season, the team is ranked fifth nationally. This year’s squad is determined not to lose against the nation’s top competitors without a fight.
“A big thing for us is definitely developing a championship culture,” said right-side hitter Meaghan Homan ’23. “We have some big matches coming up with some ranked teams and we really want to show how well we can compete against them.”
The drive to accomplish these goals is undeniable.
Meanwhile, the countdown to the playoffs continues. This past weekend, the team matched up against four in-conference competitors from across the state of Texas. They added three more wins and a close loss to their record.
Moving forward, this group is excited about what is to come for the second half of the season as nationally-ranked matchups creep up on their schedule. Outside hitter Keeley Kandziora ’24 spoke about some of the particularly anticipated games to come.
“We’re definitely excited for UC Santa Cruz and Trinity because they are both highly ranked teams; our conference also has some other highly ranked teams that we’re excited to face off against too,” Kandziora said.
CC is slated to play UC Santa Cruz next weekend.
She explained that not only would a win in this game help their national standing, but it would also be a great way to progress into senior night on Saturday. Starting setter, Jenny Jenks ’24, explained just how celebratory of a night this will be.
“We are definitely looking forward to senior night to honor our seniors, Georgia [Mullins] and Bella [Vaquez], because they’ve given so much to our team and our team would not be the same without them,” Jenks said.
It is evident that the leadership driving this team has helped them make their mark on the national map. This weekend will be nothing short of special for the group and for the program.
The team is facing many more big matchups ahead. With the strength of this senior class, though, everyone can attest to their readiness for bigger and more intense stages.
Outside hitter Izzy Lipacis ’24 continued this theme of eagerness and explained how the developing team culture will be important to cultivate.
“We’re excited to showcase all that we’ve been working for in the gym during practice and win some big games,” Lipacis said.
It will be thrilling to watch this group in action against some great teams and a formidable UC Santa Cruz competitor this Friday, Oct. 15. With the stakes this high, the energy in the room will be palpable. The crowd should be in for a treat.