The San Jose State Women’s volleyball team walked out 1-2 in the South Bay Battle tournament this weekend. The Spartans dropped two games, one to Santa Clara University 3-1 and another to the University of Northern Colorado 3-0, but finished with a win against Marist College 3-0.
The Spartans started off the weekend Thursday night at Santa Clara where they lost 3 sets to 1 against the Broncos.
The team found a burst of energy in the third set, winning 25-20, but could not keep things rolling throughout the entirety of the game.
Head coach Jolene Shepardson said that the team needed to work on consistency throughout their play if they were going to have success in their other two games of the
weekend.
“We played a little bit inexperienced,” Shepardson said.
Pulling out a single set in the matchup brought a glimpse of hope for the team.
“The [sets] that we lost are very frustrating,” senior mid-blocker Thaliana Grajeda said. “But I felt like us as a unit, we can come together and fight through that.”
The team did not have to wait long for another shot at a win with their home opener the following night against Northern Colorado.
The Spartans battled in their loss to the Bears, narrowly losing two of the three sets played 25-23 in a total 3-0 sweep by UNC.
Shepardson said that the team played better from the night before, but did not think that the team totally cleaned up their
inconsistent play.
“It’s way inconsistent and almost like we are on a rollercoaster,” Shepardson said. “It’s not good volleyball every time.”
Suffering back-to-back nights of losses, the players were hungry to get back out a third night and prove that they could contend.
“Tonight’s game doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of who we are,” redshirt junior outside hitter Latahevai Lousi said.
Marist College was the final team on tap for the Spartans’ weekend and they finished strong with a dominant 3-0 win.
The team came out firing from the very first serve of the game racking up huge set victories with 25-17, 25-14 and 25-11 wins in a commanding fashion.
“All of us were really determined to bounce back,” sophomore setter Mamie Garard said. “We weren’t happy with our loss last night so we all came in headstrong.”
Shepardson said she was happy postgame to see the team play more cohesively compared to the nights before and put together a big win at home.
“It was just good consistent play,” Shepardson said about the team’s performance. “Having a clear mind of the gameplay to execute their high level of volleyball.”
The Spartans will head to New York City this week for the Big Apple Tournament against Long Island University, Brooklyn Thursday and Columbia University Friday.
“I’m really looking forward to going to New York,” middle blocker sophomore Haylee Nelson said. “Most of our team hasn’t been there yet so we are excited to go somewhere new and face some good teams over there.”
Following its trip to New York, the team will head to San Diego State Sept. 26 before making its way back to SJSU Sept. 28 against rival Fresno State.
