Women’s Volleyball goes 3-0

Illustration by Zoe Wren Arntsen, Illustrator.

“Just don't let the ball hit the ground.”

It's a simple objective that Coach Cahill tells her team. And sometimes, simplicity is all you need.

It was that idea that pushed Chapman’s women’s volleyball team to a 3-0 weekend recently at the Whittier Invitational. And while her objective may make it seem simple, Coach Cahill will be the first to tell you otherwise, and rather how team unity is what pushes a team to the next level.

“All the seniors have [stepped up]. We have five.  We (also) have eight freshmen, which is a lot. Two of them are starters, which doesn't happen very often,” Cahill said,  “They've blended in well, and the upperclassmen have helped mentor them and make them comfortable and so forth.”

The team’s blending has created a lot to look forward to for the program. Freshman Sasha Pugh was named a SAIAC player of the week for her efforts at the invitational. Despite this achievement, Cahill remains focused on the future.

“It was a good start. You know, she's a freshman. People didn't know her because she wasn't here last year and so she surprised some people,” Cahill said, “So I'm sure they're going to try to match people up to have a blocker because they can see the videos of it now. So, it'll be interesting to see how the conference play goes.”

This early-season success, both at the individual and team level, heightens the expectations for the team’s season. With the pressure rising, one simple message is sent to the team: Consistency.

“I think we just continue to be consistent. We just need to be consistent and control our side of the court because I think we have a pretty good team and our team works hard,” Cahill said, “ It's great chemistry. So, I think we just need to worry about ourselves to continue to play well.”

With the start of the season still fresh, the team’s sights remain on the future.

The team is aiming for a conference tournament run. And if the season so far has said anything, they have a good chance to do just that.

“In the past, we've been up and down, you know, we play well in the team, and we might lose to some of [the teams] we're not supposed to lose to,” Cahill said, “So I think as long as we're consistent, then we'll have a successful year.”

The team has continued to succeed since the Whittier Invitational, and currently sits at  5-3 on the season.

The season has just started, and there is still a long way to go before telling if the Panthers are on their way to another successful one.