SPORTS
11
SEPTEMBER 9, 2011
Volleyball team emphasizes team chemistry, sets new goals
By Rory Molleda & Millie Carter
Staff Writers
The women's volleyball team is hoping
to charge into the season with returning
players and talented incoming first-years,
to improve their ODAC finish from last
year.
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference
(ODAC) ranks Guilford sixth in the pre
season poll, tied with Bridgewater College.
Their previous season ended with a 5-5
conference record and sixth place finish
(16-13 overall record), but the team and
coaching staff have high hopes that cama
raderie and trust will unify the team and
make for a great season.
Concerned mainly with the loss of
Courtney Kozar, Brittany Freeman and
Traci Teague, Guilford will be looking
for new attackers to pass to, following the
departure of their top three scorers from
2010.
"Losing those three, and then seeing team's leaders, will express that presence,
what we have coming back, it is very "If we achieve that team unity and are
realistic", said Head Coach Emily Gann, able to successfully play together, every-
"Anyone can win the ODAC but a realistic thing else will fall into place," said Phillips,
goal to start with would be to better than "We are constantly getting better and work-
what we were last year." ing hard towards ridding ourselves of the
Team dynamics play a very important mental and individual mistakes so they are
role in perfor
mance on the
court. If any
given team
does not have
trust between
players they
cannot real
istically hope
to have a winning season. With team chem- experience on the court with new talent,
istry, the Quakers can pull together and Incoming first-years, although talented,
improve on their accomplishments of last may lack the experience required of fast
season. paced, ultra-competitive collegiate level
In order to realize their goals, leader- matches,
ship has to be present on and off the court. "We gained some quality hitters that
This year. Senior Taylor Phillips, one of the will really benefit us offensively," said
" We are constantly getting better..."
Taylor Phillips, Senior
not being
made dur
ing games."
Another
obstacle the
Quakers
may face
is merging
together
sophomore Malikah French. "Michaela
(Wall)'s blocking abilities will be very help
ful while Morgan (McKinnon) and Brittany
(DeCesare) are both adding to the defen
sive aspect."
It is only a matter of time before they are
fully acclimated to the speed and pressure
that corhes with conference games.
"I believe they are ready to carry the
pressure that may be put on them," Phillips
says, "and I am looking forward to seeing
their growth throughout the year."
Despite having to overcome the loss of
Kozar, Freeman and Teague, Coach Gann is
hopeful for the season. Gann realizes that a
competitive finish in the conference will be
no easy feat, but is sure her team is ready
for the challenge.
"It's going to be a battle," said Gann.
"Anybody can win on any given day, and
that is the mentality I'm trying to help this
team believe in." Competitive collegiate-
level matches.
Women's rugby club builds strength and friendship
By Natalie Sutton
Staff Writer
On the fields where the women's
rugby team practices, there is a
sense of both intense resilience and
friendly laughter. One thing that
makes the Guilford College wom
en's rugby team so unique is their
combination of tough-yet-amiable
attitudes.
Concerning the tough aspect of
the women's rugby team, junior
Hannah Fillingim, the "fitness cap
tain," ensures that the team works
out at the gym together on a week
ly basis. Also, she leads the girls
on 12-minute interval runs before
practice. Their practice, which con
sists of running lines while passing
the ball, doing drills, and scrim
maging, is anything but easy.
"It's a very physical sport and
there's high risk of injury," said
Fillingim. "We play for 80 minutes.
You have to have good endurance.
You have to have speed. It's a really
challenging sport but it's reward-
mg.
Steven Moran, assistant director
of student leadership and engage
ment, is faculty advisor for the
women's rugby team. He under
stands the time and energy invest
ed into the fitness aspect of the
sport.
"They coach themselves and
bring in trainers to work with them
on strength and conditioning," said
Moran. "Sometimes they bring in a
coach from a semi-professional area
team to work with them."
Although it is a very high contact
sport, sophomore Emily Morazan is
reassuring while encouraging other
girls to join the team.
"We would love to have anyone,
any size; you're not going to die,"
said Morazan. "We have a really
amazing team. I love all the girls
here."
As implied by Morazdn's state
ment, friendship among the players
is a huge part of women's rugby.
Sophomore Kelsey Worthy, who has
never attended a women's rugby
match at Guilford, knew girls in her
hall last year that joined the team
and immediately felt welcomed.
"Although I've never person
ally been involved with the sport,
I always got the idea that the wom
en's rugby team is a very sup
portive community," said Worthy.
"I would always hear about how
easily all the girls bonded."
Another huge part of the wom
en's rugby team is the ease with
which the team shifts from anni
hilating one another to becoming
friends.
Junior Peach McCarty, team cap
tain, discussed her favorite part of
the game.
"We play against a team and try
to kill each other on the field, but
then we meet up afterwards and
sing songs and have fun together,"
said McCarty. "It's totally this social
thing. In other sports, you come
with enemies; you hate the other
team. But with (women's rugby) it's
like, 'Oh, yeah. That team is really
fun to socialize with; they're going
to kill us on the field, but they're
really fun.'"
Not only are the women rugby
players friendly with opposing
teams, but they're close with the
Guilford men's rugby team as well.
"We're working with the boys
this year more," said Morazan.
"There's a lot more cohesion
between the two teams. It should
be a good season. There's been lots
of improvement for both teams."
Morazdn, who manages the
financial side of the sport, is not
the only team member who values
having a close relationship with the
men rugby players.
"We have a lot of camaraderie
with the men's rugby team," said
McCarty. "They help us out when
we need it. Also, we socialize with
the guys all the time; it's really
fun."
Moran, who has been the staff
advisor since September 2010,
was asked to choose one word to
describe the women's rugby team.
Without hesitation, he chose "awe
some."
"The work they do to put togeth
er matches and organize practices,
and the time and energy they put
into the sport is just awesome," said
Moran. 'They are fantastic and a
ton of fun. They really work hard to
represent the college well."
As for the team's future, the cap
tain has big plans ahead filled with
lots of tackling and ruffles.
"This year during Serendipity, 1
hope to come out and play rugby
while wearing prom dresses," said
McCarty. "It wouldn't be anything
official, just a friendly game of
rugby full of tackling people in
prom dresses."
(Above) Hannah Fillingim, junior, toughs it out as she gets tackled during
a drill. The women's rugby team practices six hours a week. (Left) Hannah
Kennedy 'I I gives pointers to Cappa Cheatham during a scrum.