Technician Online

September 25th, 2008

State’s Streak Should Stop Soon

Alliteration aside, the volleyball team’s ACC losing streak is going to end this weekend.  Why?  Several factors:

IT’S TIME - It’s been almost three years since State last won, and even a broken clock is right twice a day - unless of course it’s digital, so let’s hope the volleyball program’s proverbial clock is analog.

THE PERSONNEL - With Alex Smith dishing out all of the assists and freshmen Margaret Salata and junior transfer Arlee Tamietti blocking and hitting everything in sight, the Pack finally has the team core necessary to get consistent results - consistent results meaning being able to score 25 points three times in a match.

TEAM CHEMISTRY - Preseason predictions were that the team’s chemistry would be an issue as veterans and first-year players would be competing together after losing several players from the previous season’s roster.  Chemistry was an issue last year, but something must be in the water as Stubbs’ players seem to be buying in to her strategies as the Pack has found ways to compete and stay close even in matches where the team lost its first game.  Last year the team would have rolled over and died, but now the team seems resilient.

THE OPPOSITION - Boston College was the Pack’s last ACC win back in 2005, and while BC has found ways to win in conference play, it has been hard pressed to find its way out of the conference cellar.  Maryland has also been a hot and cold program that hasn’t shown consistency on the court.  Depending on the opposition’s focus going into Reynolds this weekend, the Pack could potentially take two wins out of the team’s homestand.

FINAL ANALYSIS - The stars have aligned, the timing is right, and the team has the spirit to do it.  I say State beats BC 3-1 and takes Maryland the distance before losing in five.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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