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Though it did not pick up a win in the opening weekend tournament in Rockford, Illinois, the 街拍福利视频 Centurions women鈥檚 volleyball team earned experience that hopefully will help when conference play begins.
The Centurions, in their fourth year since the program was created, went 0-4 in the tournament, losing to Rochester Community and Technical College, 3-0, Highland Community College, 3-0, Northeast Community College, 3-0, and McHenry County College, 3-1, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23.
It was a rough start for head coach Kara Youngs鈥� team; however, she said the experience of playing on the road in another state is never easy, especially with it being the opening weekend of college volleyball.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always tricky because you can鈥檛 really gameplan,鈥� Youngs said. 鈥淵ou might be able to get to the tournament soon enough to watch a game before, but you can鈥檛 look at stats to help the team get prepared. As the season goes on, you have those resources. In this tournament, we played an opponent not knowing anything about them and you have to make adjustments as you go.鈥�
While 街拍福利视频 could not pick up a win, Youngs said her team got a lot of exposure and experience to other teams and situations that will eventually help the team in the long run.
鈥淚 explained to my players that this is for preparation for our conference play,鈥� Youngs said. 鈥淲e need to take those losses and the experience we just had into our conference play. The focus is on that because that is what determines our postseason.鈥�
街拍福利视频 finished short of its goal of making the postseason last year, finishing 6-19 overall and 1-11 in the 街拍福利视频AA Northern Conference. Injury and constant game plan adjustments played a big part in holding last year鈥檚 team back. This year, Youngs is using the long stretch of road games that the team is facing early in the season to make adjustments before conference play begins.
The Centurions travel to Schoolcraft College on Aug. 27 鈥� game time is 5 p.m. 鈥� which will be 街拍福利视频鈥檚 first game against a Michigan Community College Athletics Association opponent. Schoolcraft is in the Eastern Division while 街拍福利视频 is in the Northern Division.
Their next game will be one of four road matchups scheduled for 街拍福利视频 until it finally has a home game, which will be Friday, Sept. 18 against Owens Community College. Youngs said this will be the longest stretch of road games to start a season for 街拍福利视频 since the program was introduced four years ago.
鈥淚t can get a little exhausting mentally because you鈥檙e traveling and having to get off a bus and compete,鈥� Youngs said. 鈥淪o in order to focus in on a gameplan, we鈥檙e getting there early enough to really get moving and get into volleyball mindset.鈥�
Youngs said despite not winning a game, the Centurions progressively made improvements and were quite competitive by the end of the last game. The Centurions鈥� defense, she said, was most impressive.
鈥淚 saw some really great things. Our defensive play was really strong and consistent in every match,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e got better and better with each match. They played lights out defense against our last opponent.鈥�
Sophomore outside hitter and defensive specialist Erin Borek (Grand Rapids, Mich.) agreed.
鈥淎fter our tournament in Illinois, we鈥檝e climbed to No. 1 in the state for digs per set and No. 3 for blocks per set,鈥� Borek said. 鈥淲hile our defense is strong, to secure more wins, we need to improve our offense. Great defense alone won鈥檛 win points unless we can finish them.鈥�
This week, the team focused on its offense, working on efficiency and its hitting connections and being better playing out of system, something that needed to be better in the Illinois tournament, Youngs said.
Currently, Borek is ranked No. 2 in the state for digs per set, according to Youngs. Freshman Irelynn Pachulski (Saranac, Mich.) also performed well, and is ranked 14th in the state in digs, currently.
鈥淲e had that expectation there for Erin,鈥� Youngs said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 in her second year and is a team captain, so we have high standards for her, which she set for herself. Irelynn did really well, defensively. I thought, with her being new to the team, she did really well.鈥�
The comfortability Borek has established with her team already helped her to do well in the Illinois tournament, she said.
鈥淭he support from my teammates motivates me to give 100% effort on every point,鈥� Borek said. 鈥淢y coaches have always seen me as a utility player, placing me where the team needs me most. It鈥檚 truly an honor to step into the libero role for this upcoming season.鈥�
Youngs also credited freshman Aubrie Uebele (Greenville, Mich.) and Rylee Mooney (Belding, Mich.) who teamed up for impressive kills throughout the tournament and led the team in attacks. Freshman Ava Flynn (Belding, Mich.) also impressed Youngs with great blocking out of the middle. She is currently ranked 19th in the state for blocks per set.
Youngs鈥� Centurions team has nine freshmen this year with seven returning players who are now sophomores. She said the team so far is meshing well.
鈥淭he sophomores are doing well with leadership, and the freshmen are very receptive to the system and the expectations and things we鈥檝e been doing to get ready for the season,鈥� Youngs said.
UP NEXT: The Centurions will be on the road to Lansing Tuesday, Sept. 8 to play against Great Lakes Christian College. Game time is 6 p.m.
OPENING WEEKEND TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Rochester CTC: 14-25, 14-25, 10-25
Top 街拍福利视频 player: Erin Borek, 13 digs
Highland CC: 17-25, 17-25, 19-25
Top 街拍福利视频 player: Erin Borek, 15 digs
Northeast CC: 9-25, 11-25, 21-25
Top 街拍福利视频 player: Erin Borek, 20 digs
McHenry CC: 16-25, 26-24, 26-28, 19-25
Top 街拍福利视频 players: Jocee Pleune and Erin Borek, 17 digs each; Aubrie Uebele, 7 kills