Written by Alexis Barton
The women’s volleyball team (8-8, 2-3 ODAC) has been a staple of the fall sports culture here on campus. With games regularly throughout the week, it’s easy to catch these Maroons in action in the Cregger Center. What most of us don’t see, however, is all of the hard work that these ladies are up to between their matches. From early morning conditioning to late night bus rides, this team of 22 has grown together through the season thus far.
Throughout the week, these ladies grind through daily practices and early morning conditioning sessions to perfect their craft. Their efforts have paid off though, as the team has improved to an even .500 overall record. The team has also grown through this time spent together to be a close-knit group of friends who share the sport they love rather than just teammates. Kiki Scott, one of fifteen freshmen on the team, speaks to the dynamics on the team. “Our team has learned that a team with 22 people can still be very close, despite so many personalities …a lot of the players are from Roanoke so they have played together in years past. We are a pretty close-knit team,” Scott said. This group of freshmen has helped propel the team to their success this season. On the larger conference level, setter Logan Palsey and libero Kennedy Clemmer are climbing the stat leaderboards, as both freshmen are within the top five of various categories.
The team has no lack of upperclassmen talent though. Sophomore outside hitter Linsey Bailey was recently named the ODAC Volleyball Player of the Week for her stellar play. With a season mark of 256 kills, Bailey has an ODAC-leading 4.27 kills per set. In their most recent games, Bailey’s production was at peak level, with 6.1 kills per set, 45 digs, and 6.5 points per set. With Bailey’s production heating up, the rest of her team is close behind her, as the Maroons have won 2 out of their last 3. Be sure to catch these Maroons in the Cregger Center as they face Shenandoah on October 16th. Go Maroons!
