jhe Pendulum
SPORTS
Friday, August 29, 2008 / Page B5
Early exit last season Is keeping volleyball team on mark
Kelsey Glover
Reporter
After finishing last season
17-16 overall and 11-7 in
Southern Conference play, the
most wins by any Elon team
since joining the league, the
volleyball team looks to raise
the bar of excellence even
higher this season.
“Each season is completely
different... You never know
what is going to happen," Head
Coach Mary Tendler said. "All
I know is that we are going to
be mentally prepared for each
team and we will go all out on
every play."
The team is eager to prove
itself in the regular and the
post seasons. After an early
exit in the first round of the
SoCon Championships at the
hands of Chattanooga last
year, the same team that broke
Elon's seven match winning
streak, there is a definite will
to go further and showcase
the team's ability.
The team's first match
is scheduled for today at
the North Carolina Central
Tournament, which is followed
next weekend by the Elon
Volleyball Classic, where
the Lady Phoenix play host
to teams in and out of the
conference.
“If a student comes to
one of our early matches, I
guarantee they will want to
keep coming back," Tendler
said. "We will put a very
energetic, exciting team on the
court."
Senior Jessica Barrow
said she is especially
“looking forward to playing
Chattanooga because we want
revenge from losing close
matches last year.” She said
she would also like to beat
Furman.
“Throughout my three
years (almost four) at Elon,
Furman is the only team in the
conference that we have not
been able to defeat while I’ve
been here,” Barrow said.
The team has added three
energetic players, Caroline
Lemke, Megan McMahon and
Traci Stewart, to compensate
for the loss of three strong
seniors, Emily Lucci, Britany
Westphal and Natalie Moore.
Each of the seniors had
outstanding careers, but the
incoming freshman look to
round out the team nicely.
“Personally, 1 am just
looking forward to every
match," Lemke said. "I’m
so excited just to compete
every moment and represent
Elon out there and to
compete at this high level at
each opportunity. 1 feel so
comfortable and confident
with the team we have for this
season.”
In addition to fresh faces,
the team has many strong
returning players with the
experience needed to step up
and guide the team to a strong
showing. With four seniors
rising to leadership, Elon
volleyball has the opportunity
to further develop and
strengthen its program.
“I’ve always been more
the type of person who
shows leadership by their
performance on the court,”
Barrow said. “This year,
I’d like to step it up a little
and become more of a vocal
FILE PHOTO
Team members came to campus early to begin practicing for the fall season. Their first tournament is today
and tomorrow at the North Carolina Central Tournament in Durham, N.C.
leader.”
Barrow is coming off
shoulder surgery in the off
season and is hoping she can
still be the dominant player
The Nest has seen for the last
three years.
Also returning are three
sophomores and two juniors
who had impressive seasons
last year.
“We just need to work
hard at each and every
practice, play the best we
can against the best teams
in our conference, and push
ourselves to be number
one,” sophomore Lauren
Copenhagen said. “The team
this year is very strong and
determined to be the best, and
we will do anything we need
to do to win."
Volleyball Schedule
8/29 - 8/30
Tournament
Durham, N.C.
9/5 - 9/6
Tournament
2 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
9/12 - 9/13
Tournament
Moon Township, Pa.
9/16
Winston-Salem State
7 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
9/19 - 19/20
Tournament
Williamsburg, Va.
9/24
High Point
7 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
9/27
Appalachian State
4 p.m.
Boone, N.C.
9/28
Western Carolina
2 p.m.
Cullowhee, N.C.
10/4
Furman
7 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
10/5
Wofford
2 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
10/8
UNC Greensboro
7 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
10/12
The Citadel
1 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
10/13
C. of Charleston
5 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
10/18
Davidson
2 p.m.
Davidson, N.C.
10/19
Georgia Southern
2 p.m.
Statesboro, Ga.
10/25
Samford
8 p.m.
Birmingham, Ala.
10/26
Chattanooga
4 p.m.
Chattanooga, Term.
10/31
Appalachian State
7 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
11/1
Western Carolina
3 p.m.
Elon, N.C.
11/5
UNC Greensboro
7 p.m.
Greensboro, N.C.
11/8
Wofford
TBA
Spartansburg, S.C.
11/9
Furman
2 p.m.
Greenville, S.C.
For the complete schedule check elonphoenix.com
Leaders gone but talent
remains with Elon volleyball
Kelsey Glover
Reporter
In sports, as seasons change,
so do coaches and rosters. While
some teams suffer the loss of
key players, that does not look to
be the case for Elon’s volleyball
team.
Despite a first-round
tournament loss, the Phoenix
enjoyed a successful season
last year. But when they take
the court for their 2008 season
opener, there will be a dramatic
difference. Three of the six
starters will be absent.
The team graduated three
important seniors, but refuse
to let that hold them down this
season. Instead, the squad has
quickly filled out the lineup with
three energetic freshman eager to
compete.
“We have a good mix of
experienced players and youth
this season,” Head Coach Mary
Tendler said. “Many of our
returners either started or saw
significant time on the court last
season."
“(The former seniors) were...
big impact players for our
team last year, but losing them
just gives other players the
opportunity to fill those shoes
and bring the same competitive
intensity," senior Jessica Barrow
said.
One of the graduated seniors
and leading overall players from
last year, Emily Lucci, definitely
left her mark on Elon’s volleyball
program. In her last game against
Chattanooga, she led the team
in kills with a total of 14. This
impressive performance only
finished out an indelible season.
Throughout the season Lucci
accumulated 312 kills, 308 digs
and led the team in blocking with
131. Her abilities even garnered
her several NCAA match records
throughout her career at Elon.
“Britany [Westphal], Emily
[Lucci] and Natalie [Moore] all
had outstanding careers here at
Elon," Tendler said. "I appreciate
everything that group has done
for the program. Our three
freshmen do not have to replace
them. They only bring their own
personalities and strengths to the
team.”
Although all three players
will be missed, the future
looks bright for the Phoenix.
Throughout the preseason, the
team has been reworking their
rhythm and making plans for
another successful season while
incorporating their new players.
“All three have come from
winning volleyball programs,"
Tendler said. "They came into
preseason very confident and
ready to play. I like the fact that
each one brings something totally
different to the team. As they
learn our system and get to know
the returnees, their level of play
will get higher and higher.”
Freshman Caroline Lemke said
that she already loves the Elon
community and the team she is
joining.
“Everyone works so hard, and
the chemistry is great both on
and off the court," she said. “I
definitely feel like there is always
a need to step up in any athletic
situation. Coming in after losing
such strong seniors adds a little
bit of pressure, but all I can do is
work hard to do my best so that I
can perform to help the team."