Call it a wash. Last week, the SFU volleyball team earned its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference win of the season, only to drop their next contest. After defeating the Western Oregon University Wolves in four sets on Oct. 10, the Clan lost their next game, a three-set sweep at the hands of the Saint Martin’s University Saints, just two days later.
Two 1–1 weeks, after dropping their first two conference games of the season are a welcome improvement, but the Clan still have much to prove. Nevertheless, there is a foundation to build on, evidenced in the win over Western Oregon.
The Wolves actually took the first set of that match handily, 25–16. But the SFU ladies stormed back, taking the next three sets with scores of 25–20, 25–18 and 25–21. The sets were relatively close, but in past years Clan teams have struggled to win the close, competitive matches.
This game showcased the upward progression in both morale and play that new head coach Gina Schmidt has brought into the roster. “The team did a great job of staying patient,” said Schmidt after the game. “We were able to make adjustments as the match went on and we had consistent performances from everyone on the floor.”
Consistency must be one of the main focuses for the Clan going forward. Four SFU players — Devon May, Amanda Renkema, Mackenzie Dunham and Kelsey Robinson — reached double-digit kill totals in the game against WOU, and both Robinson and junior Alanna Chan had 14 digs in the contest. But in the game against SMU, the team struggled to match those totals.
Only Robinson would reach double-digit kills — and just barely, tallying 10 — while the Clan averaged only 18 points over the three sets . “SMU competed very well,” said Schmidt, succinctly, post-game. “We weren’t able to match their intensity.”
The loss dropped the Clan’s conference record to just 2–4, but a 7–5 overall record and two wins in their last four games are promising. The ladies have already doubled their conference-win total from a year ago, and have shown clear improvement over last season. Now, it’s all about keeping that pace up.
