Javelinas control their fate
The Javelinas beach volleyball team has seen the highs and lows early on in the 2023 season.
To kick off the season the women started off with a four-game win streak which was followed with three losses.
Now with a 4-3 record to start the season, some may view this as a not-so-great start but that may not be the case for these women.
“One thing that has helped so far is reminding myself to focus on the things that I can control, which is my effort and my attitude and I need to make sure that in every match or game I am giving my all to my partner and to my team,” freshman Olivia Zeigler said.
With a team mostly comprised of freshmen players, the team has shown itself to be competitive and can win in the big moments. The three losses they have come against bigger schools such as Utah and Tulane University as well as a close loss to Stephen F. Austin.
“I think the biggest thing that we need to work on is consistency in our setting and hitting,” Assistant Coach Gary Payne said. “I believe our hitting will get better and we will finish the play sooner and not have longer rallies.”
However, these women are as tough as nails and rather than letting these losses discourage them, they find ways to use them as a learning experience and help themselves get better as the season progresses. Along with this, since the team is fairly young this means that there will be multiple returners next season which will benefit the team as a whole.
“There are definitely learning moments with a young team and a few things that I have learned that have helped me is that you always need to have an open mind and trust your training,” freshman Taylor McCarthy said. “You will hear different things from different coaches, but always trusting them and always being open to new ideas will help you out and make you a better player.”
As the season continues, expect this team to continue their competitive ways and not back down from any form of competition.
The women will be hitting the road for the ULM Bayou Bash in Monroe, La., and their first opponent will be Nicholls State at 8 a.m., Friday, March 24.
