The UCSD women’s volleyball team extended its winning streak to seven matches over the weekend with victories against the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners (3-0) and the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors (3-1).
The eighth-ranked Tritons solidified their second place position in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, improving to 11-2 in conference and 17-3 overall.
The victories were highlighted by impressive performances by some of the Triton role players who stepped up to lead the team. Against CSUB on Oct. 18, sophomore middle blocker Kendra Canape got a rare start and made good use of it. Feeding off Canape’s energy and her 11 kills, UCSD rolled to an easy 30-19, 30-28, 30-19 victory.
While Triton head coach Duncan McFarland applauded Canape’s success on the night, he noted that she shows promise for even better games ahead.
“”I think she’s still a long way from reaching her potential,”” McFarland said. “”She’s a tremendously talented athlete. She just needs a little more time in matches to mature a little bit as a player. She’s getting better all the time.””
The Roadrunners mounted their only serious challenge in the second game, but their momentum was quelled when McFarland went to his bench and brought on freshman outside hitter Francesca Centofanti. She did her job and turned the tide, bringing the Tritons six important kills with an attacking percentage of .455.
“”Duncan wants me to come out and get the team going,”” Centofanti said. “”Not only by playing well and getting a kill, but mostly just getting everyone involved and getting people to realize that we’re a good team and that we deserve to win every match.””
Canape stressed that she and her teammates were convinced of the result from the start.
“”We just knew we were going to win going in,”” she said. “”We had the confidence the whole match.””
Such confidence would not come as easily against Cal State Stanislaus on Oct. 19. The Tritons entered the match looking to avenge an early season loss they suffered at the hands of the Warriors.
In the first game it appeared that the match may have been destined for a similar fate, since the Warriors dominated and the Tritons committed 10 attack errors for a 30-24 CSUS victory. However, the Tritons rebounded in game two with Centofanti once again providing a spark off the bench. She went on to lead the team in kills with 14, despite not playing in the first game.
McFarland also switched setters, bringing in senior Jessica Bartter, who dished out 41 assists to lead the team. With the subs and an adjustment to the Warriors’ pace, UCSD elevated its play and took the next three games (30-24, 30-23, 30-25) and the match — a worthy gift to McFarland on his birthday.
The celebration was tempered by UCSD dropping the first game. While everyone had their own theory as to what the problem may have been, Bartter attributed the slow start to a lack of teamwork on the court.
“”We definitely weren’t talking as much as we should have been,”” she said. “”Communication was what was holding us back in the first game. We picked it up a little, but it was still lacking the whole match.””
Despite those issues, sophomore middle blocker Katie Hogan had a big night, getting 11 kills and letting her teammates feed off her strong play.
“”I think we all agreed that we really needed a lot energy to pull this match out,”” she said. “”I figured I wanted to do my part to help spread energy to everyone else.””
That energy will be crucial when the momentum-bearing Tritons run up against white hot Cal State Los Angeles Oct. 23 at RIMAC Arena, a game with heavy CCAA implications. A Triton win will pave the way for a Nov. 1 battle of the titans when UCSD travels to Cal State San Bernardino to determine conference supremacy. Before it gets there, UCSD will have to secure more strong performances from the entire roster.