On Saturday, November 10, the SFU volleyball team’s season had a bittersweet end.
The 3–0 set sweep over Saint Martin’s University marked the Clan’s fifth straight victory, but despite the team’s success down the stretch, they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot. That’s right: SFU’s 12–8 conference record was not enough for them to make the playoffs, despite the team finishing tied for fourth with Alaska in the GNAC.
Even though the team ultimately did not reach their goal, there is a lot to be pleased about with the Clan’s 2018 season and a lot to be excited about in the team’s future. When asked by The Peak via email on what she thought about the team’s season, head coach Gina Schmidt said:
“We learned a lot as a team this season. Obviously our goal was to make the playoffs and we just missed out on that. [ …] But we were definitely playing our best, most consistent volleyball at the end of the season and that is always what we want to see.”
One player who will not return, however, is Tessa May, who just wrapped up her senior season. Anybody that has followed the team during May’s time with the Clan knows how important she has been for SFU, both this year and in her three seasons prior. This season, May led SFU with 3.38 kills per set, 0.69 blocks per set, and 3.94 points per set. Her .369 hitting percentage was also second in the entire GNAC.
When asked about May’s play this season, Schmidt said, “Tessa spent her first three seasons being one of the most effective middle blockers in the GNAC and her senior season was no different. Despite dealing with chronic shin splints and limited practice time, Tessa has consistently been a leader on the court and in the locker room.”
Another strength for the Clan this season was team depth. For example, when libero Jayme Bratsberg was sidelined with an injury, Bianca Te stepped up and filled the role admirably. Look for this to continue into next season when Te will likely take on the role full-time, as Bratsberg just completed her senior season.
All in all, while the team is likely disappointed with missing the playoffs, SFU volleyball is in a great position heading into 2019. If the team takes 2018 as a learning experience and wins a few more of its close games next season, we could be looking at playoff volleyball in 2019.
