Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Sept. 10, 2014, edition 1 / Page 5
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THE BLUE BANNER I WEDNESDAY, SEPT, 10, 2014 I THEBLUEBANNER.NET SPORTS AND WELLNESS CALENDAR SEPT. 10-16 Sept. 10 Beginner’s jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts Sherrill Center 306 6:45 p.m. Zumba Sherrill Center 306 9 p.m. Cardio Fit Sherrill Center 351 9:15 p.m. Sept. 11 Meditative Flow Yoga Sherrill Center 468 12:30 p.m. - Faculty and staff yoga Sherrill Center 306 5:30 p.m. Sept. 12 Spin SRC213B 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13 Cross country vs. Gardner-Webb Boiling Springs 9 a.m. Sept. 14 Women’s soccer vs. Belmont Greenwood Field 1 p.m. Sept. 15 Men’s yoga Sherrill Center 468 6:45 p.m. Women’s jiu-jitsu Sherrill Center 306 6:45 p.m. Sept. 16 Faculty and staff pilates Sherrill Center 468 5:30 p.m. Sass dance Sherrill Center 351 6:45 p.m. Women’s volleyball vs. Western Carolina University Justice Center 7 p.m. sports EDITOR: ASHIKA RAVAL i ARAVAL@UNCA.EDU Photo by Adrian Etheridge - Contributor The volleyball team celebrates a victory during a game at the Justice Center. Volleyball team boasts new players MAX CARTER jcarterl©unca.edu - Staff Writer After undergoing drastic changes to their squad from the year before, the UNC Asheville women’s vol leyball team is putting the pieces back together for the 2014 season. “We are a younger team,” said Frederico Sanchez, head coach. “There are fewer returning players and a lot of the players are being asked to step up into positions they did not play the previous year.” In 2013, the volleyball team finished the season 17-14, but there are few returning players from last season. Eight slots opened up after five seniors grad uated, two transferred to other schools and one play er quit the team for undis closed reasons. This year the team con sists of seven freshmen, two sophomores, four ju niors and no seniors. , “The biggest battle has been building team chem istry, but they have been improving greatly and are really coming together,” Sanchez said. Christine Lakatos, sophomore outside hitter, said the leadership role is one of the more difficult responsibilities for some players to step into. “The juniors are the ones who need to be stepping up and taking the leader ship responsibility. Which can be scary for us but also really exciting,” Lakatos said. Lakatos also said the communication between players is an aspect the team has been trying to work on. “As we get to know each other, the game flow gets better because we are learn ing how each other plays,” Lakatos said. “Ever since the first practice there has been an improvement and everyone is getting along really well.” Coach Sanchez said he likes what he’s seen from the team, especially their reaction to being one of the younger teams in the con ference. “They are always ready to improve. They work through both the good and the bad,” Sanchez said. Though the team consists of mostly freshmen, Cat Fischer, sophomore right- side hitter, said the team does not want to be viewed as “rebuilding.” “Since we lost so many players we have been put into this category,” Fischer said, “but we all feel like we can succeed. We have the talent to win and do not want to be known as a re building team.” Fischer said the team plays the role of the under dog in many game situa tions. “We are working on be coming more disciplined so we do not have to start out that way. We have a lot of heart and show it through our work but we also have the ability to start each game on top,” Fischer said. The team had a slow start to the season, but recently picked up their first win in the Kennesaw State Invita tional. “Our improvement is slow and steady but we believe that we can actual ly play together and win,” Lakatos said. Sanchez said the volley ball team was predicted to finish in sixth place in the Big South conference, so one of their goals is to beat this prediction. “It is also always a goal to make it to the conference championship,” Sanchez said. “We need to get the team just right so we can play at our best by tourna ment time.” According to Lakatos, this is not out of the ques tion. “First and foremost our goal is to play well in the conference tournament and to do that we need to con tinue with what we are do ing and keep making steady progress.” The team has been busy playing in ihvitationals that require them to travel for each game. So far they have been to Clemson and Kennesaw State, with a trip to the Georgia Invitational on the horizon. According to Fischer, one of the team’s goals is to go undefeated at home. “In our locker room is a poster with all of our goals for the season, one of those being to win every home game,” Fischer said. “With our coaching the sky is the limit.” Fischer said they have an advantage playing at home because of the Justice Cen ter’s layout. “The fans, are so close to the court in the Justice Center, and being that close the fans can really get into the opposing team’s head and distract them,” Fischer said. “We have such great fans, too.” Bulldog Pride unifies student body JOHN ARMSTRONG jarmostrl @unca.edu - Staff Writer Student athletes gath ered behind Mills Hall to meet and get to know their peers at the Bulldog Pride event last Wednes day, a welcome week event hosted by Student Activities Involvement and Leadership. “The point behind this event is to connect the student athletes to the general student body,” said Toan To, assistant director of Events and Weekend Program ming. The biggest hit at the event was the dunk tank, where coaches and pro fessional staff members, as well as some of the athletes, volunteered to be dunked. There were other sta tions, as well, such as an inflatable basketball game, volleyball, and a game called fat cats. Joey Cutting, a senior on the soccer team, said he’s noticed there’s a wall between the student body and student athletes and never understood why. “For some reason, there’s always been a barrier between student athletes and non athletes. I don’t know why be cause they’re our biggest fan base and some of my best friends.” Cutting said. Cutting said he hopes more events like this can be held in the future. “It’s really good that we can break that barri er and try to unite both forces and become one big family here at UNC Asheville,” Cutting said. To hopes throughout the rest of the year the entire student body will support one another. Photo by John Armstrong - Staff Writer Sam Hughes practices his shots on the inflatable basketball game during the Bulldog Pride event.
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