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Quaker volleyball: one spike of a season!
By Grace Fletcher
Staff Writer
As the glare of the lights beams off
the gymnasium floor, a squad suited in
maroon armor sweeps the court. A team
of six lady athletes storm the hardwood
and congregate in an arm-woven circle
to strategize their conquering technique.
Their plan: kill.
There will be no bloodshed, however.
Rather the kill will be a swift swat of the
arm, crushing the ball on their opponent's
side with no chance for return. These war
riors I speak of are your Guilford volley
ball Lady Quakers.
The Quakers recently closed out their
season at 7-20, a record they look to build
from in the upcoming seasons.
"We might not have had the best record
this year, but we worked hard and long
all season," said junior transfer Shanika
Tunnel, "and I feel that we played 100
percent each time we took to the court. To
me, it is a successful season if one can say
they gave 100 percent effort."
This competitive drive that fueled the
force on the court throughout the season
is equally important to the players' off
season training.
The team looks forward to the return of
nine letter-winners next year, with a good
mix of older and younger players that
will create strong leadership and team
bonding.
"It will be good for our team chem
istry. Rebecca Jones, Kaci Loeffler, and
Meagan Tucker are all great players who
will return as seniors," said Head Coach
Emily Hayes. "Rebecca and Kaci are our
team captains and have their own par
ticular roles on the court as leaders; but
Meagan Tucker and our returning fresh
men have great competitive spirits, which
will allow them to be leaders as well."
Players like first-years Courtney Kozar,
Anna Miller and Haley Ortmann bring
great potential to the future of the team.
"Courtney, Anna and Haley have given
the team a faster, stronger, and more com
petitive offense," Hayes said. "These three
student-athletes finished their first season
as the top three hitters on our team."
Miller, who led the team in kills, ser
vice aces and points, and also received
All-ODAC (Old Dominion Athletic
Conference) Honorable Mention, and the
rest of the team are optimistic about next
year.
"The girls showed up, played, sweat
and worked hard all fall," Loeffler said.
"As for next season, I feel our determina
tion can only grow stronger and the drive
will continue to reflect through the off
season leading up to next year's season."
Recognizing her team's potential and
summarizing the past season as "promis
ing," Hayes has equally high expectations
for next year.
"As we continue to grow during the
off season as a team and individuals, I
believe we can be extremely competi
tive within the ODAC next year," Hayes
said. "My goals will include finishing at
least .500 and making it to the conference
tournament. It takes time and baby steps
to build a program and we are right on
track."
"The girls showed up, played, sweat and worked hard all fall. As
for next season, I feel our determination tan only grow stronger
and the drive will continue to reflect through the off-season,
leading up to next year's season."
Kaci Loeffler, team captain
Intramural volleyball and
basketball leagues to begin
By Brice Tarleton
Senior Writer
Dispersed throughout
the Guilford community are
potential intramural sports
champions: the students
who couldn't fit traditional
athletics into their sched
ules, the group of friends
who have formed an unof
ficial basketball team, the
English professor with a
killer volleyball serve but
no chance to show it off.
Now is your time to
shine.
A co-ed intramural vol
leyball league begins on
Nov. 12, and a women's bas
ketball league on Nov. 14. A
men's basketball league will
be formed later this semes
ter.
Approximately 30 people
have registered to compete
in either the women's bas
ketball or the volleyball
leagues.
"I am super excited to
compete," said senior
Brianna Robinson. "I'm
ecstatic. I love competition
... I thrive off of it. I've been
waiting for the new volley
ball season since the last one
ended!"
Both the women's basket
ball and volleyball leagues
will feature four to six com
peting teams, depending
on how many students and
staff eventually sign up. The
final decisions about team
rosters will be made at the
last minute. That way, even
those students who have
difficulty meeting deadlines
can have a chance to play.
"As we process teams,
we try to gauge everyone's
skill level and assign them
to teams so it evens out
pretty well," said Murph
Chappell, intramural sports
coordinator. "We want to
nip top-heavy teams in the
bud."
The volleyball league
competitions will take place
Thursday nights at 7 p.m.
Approximately four volley-
bdl matches will be played
at each weekly meeting.
The teams participating
in the women's basketball
league are scheduled to
compete Wednesday after
noons between 1 and 2 p.m.
Virtually all students, fac
ulty, and staff are welcome
and encouraged to enter
any or all of the intramural
events. Only in-season var
sity athletes are asked not to
register, due to the chance of
injury during an intramural
match.
Registered intramu
ral athletes are expressing
excitement over the upcom- •
ing volleyball and basket
ball leagues.
"I participate in (intramu
ral sports) because the time
commitment is significantly
less, they're fun, especially
when you make a team with
your friends, and they're a
good way to stay active,"
Robinson said.
"(I play intramural bas
ketball) because it is very
fun and allows me to get
to know people I normal
ly wouldn't have contact
with," said senior Ciara
Locklear. "Also, I get to play
a different sport than the
one I came to Guilford for."
The two best-ranked
volleyball teams will com
pete against each other in
a championship game on
Dec. 10. The women's bas
ketball championship game
will take place on Dec.l2.
The winning teams in
both the women's basketball
and co-ed volleyball leagues
will receive free intramural
championship t-shirts and
bragging rights until next
year..
Those interested in playing an intramural sport should send an e-mail to
intramurals@guilford.edu
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