If the Cal volleyball team (15-15) wants to advance past the first round, its four seniors must guide the squad. With nine underclassmen, the Bears need every bit of team leadership they can get.
For the third consecutive year, Cal faces No. 24 North Carolina (25-5) in the NCAA volleyball tournament at 3 p.m. in Iowa State’s Hilton Coliseum at Ames, Iowa.
After the Bears ended the Tar Heels’ 2010 season in a three-set sweep, the Tar Heels responded with an upset victory in five sets last year.
And the seniors have not forgotten one bit of the loss.
“Last year, we were not pleased with that match (and) with how we finished,” senior middle hitter Kat Brown said. “We’re looking forward to playing UNC again and getting some revenge.”
But revenge might not come so easily. The UNC squad that knocked the Bears out last season brings back all but four players.
Familiar faces are still around, especially senior outside hitter Emily McGee who leads the team with an average of 2.69 kills per set. In addition, the Tar Heels have added a fresh weapon.
Middle blocker Paige Neuenfeldt has done nothing but impress this season with a .331 hitting percentage, eighth in the ACC. The freshman also has averaged 1.17 blocks per set, fourth best in the conference.
“They’re a team that battles,” senior middle hitter Shannon Hawari said. “It will be good to have a team that will fight with us.”
Although North Carolina’s impressive 16-4 ACC record trumps the Bears’ 9-11 record in Pac-12 play, the ACC is nowhere close to the competition the Bears have faced out west.
Out of the ACC, No. 23 Miami is the only other school ranked in the top 25. But in the Pac-12, five schools are ranked in the top seven.
Considering such a difficult conference schedule, Hawari feels like the Bears’ work ethic shown in practice has not translated well in their overall record.
“We’re not used to where the work we put in is not reflected in our record,” Hawari said. “It’s been a lot of work in keeping everyone positive, staying determined.”
Despite wins over top-10 teams in Hawaii and Oregon, Brown sees so much talent yet to be displayed. For Brown, the effort was there, but the victories did not follow.
“I know there’s a lot deciding in what teams make it, (but) I know our team’s potential,” Brown said. “Knowing we haven’t reached it is just a great feeling — we have another chance to get to our potential.”
To reach said potential, Cal’s veterans must conduct the pace of the game. In potentially their last game for Cal, outside hitter Adrienne Gehan and middle hitter Correy Johnson need to help Hawari land deadly kills.
The seniors’ focus and determination to live for one more game will be there on the court. But they will need more than just heart to survive.
“We all know every game is our last game,” Feller said. “There’s always Cinderella teams, and maybe it’s us this year.”
Andrew Davis covers volleyball. [email protected]
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