Women's Volleyball Team 5 - 0: It's Their Serve
After 15th consecutive conference championship, Stars hope to keep it up
Andrew Pantazi
Issue date: 9/15/09 Section: Sports
The Florida State College at Jacksonville Stars women's volleyball team is back from their 15th consecutive conference championship win and their 15th consecutive year of losing the regional championship. This year, the team is dedicated to breaking that losing streak.
So far, the team is undefeated with five wins and no losses, as of Sept. 9.
The team is already preparing for their toughest opponents, according to Coach Mary Andrew.
"Our preparation is always for [Miami Dade College], and Palm Beach Community College is in our district," said Coach Andrew. "Those are the two toughest teams that we usually play."
According to Coach Andrew, the Stars keep running into Miami Dade College at the regional championship because Miami-Dade has won the regional title for twenty straight years.
Allison Riner, a 19-year-old business major, and Olivia Drew, a 19-year-old physical therapy major, are two of the six returning sophomores on the team.
According to them, college volleyball is a larger commitment than they were used to at the high school level because "a lot more is expected" from them.
Unfortunately for the team, the gym that they normally use at South Campus has been undergoing renovations, and it is not ready to be opened. As a result, the team has been training and playing off-campus.
"It's an inconvenience because I have to drive a van with the players every day to the practice facility which is about twelve miles away, so it takes a little more time out of our day, which makes life more hectic," said Coach Andrew. "We did that two times-a-day during preseason training, but they are a very talented team, and so far they have been very cooperative. As long as they get to play volleyball and go to school, they are happy."
Nina Kontrec joins Drew and Riner as a returning sophomore on the team, and she is dedicated to making the team better.
Kontrec is a 19-year-old exchange student who comes from Slovenia, and for her, playing for Florida State College at Jacksonville is a dream come true.
So far, the team is undefeated with five wins and no losses, as of Sept. 9.
The team is already preparing for their toughest opponents, according to Coach Mary Andrew.
"Our preparation is always for [Miami Dade College], and Palm Beach Community College is in our district," said Coach Andrew. "Those are the two toughest teams that we usually play."
According to Coach Andrew, the Stars keep running into Miami Dade College at the regional championship because Miami-Dade has won the regional title for twenty straight years.
Allison Riner, a 19-year-old business major, and Olivia Drew, a 19-year-old physical therapy major, are two of the six returning sophomores on the team.
According to them, college volleyball is a larger commitment than they were used to at the high school level because "a lot more is expected" from them.
Unfortunately for the team, the gym that they normally use at South Campus has been undergoing renovations, and it is not ready to be opened. As a result, the team has been training and playing off-campus.
"It's an inconvenience because I have to drive a van with the players every day to the practice facility which is about twelve miles away, so it takes a little more time out of our day, which makes life more hectic," said Coach Andrew. "We did that two times-a-day during preseason training, but they are a very talented team, and so far they have been very cooperative. As long as they get to play volleyball and go to school, they are happy."
Nina Kontrec joins Drew and Riner as a returning sophomore on the team, and she is dedicated to making the team better.
Kontrec is a 19-year-old exchange student who comes from Slovenia, and for her, playing for Florida State College at Jacksonville is a dream come true.