Aug. 26, 2005
The George Mason women's volleyball team opens it season on Saturday afternoon when the Patriots host Georgetown University at 5 p.m. at John Linn Memorial Gymnasium. Mason was 14-10 last year while Georgetown was 17-12, including a win over Mason. This will be the season opener for Georgetown as well.
Mason will return five starters and its libero from last year's squad which made the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament last year for the 21st consecutive season. Mason has appeared in every CAA women's volleyball tournament. Despite the history of success and the abundance of returning players, the CAA coaches picked Mason to finish 8th out of 11 teams this coming season.
Natalia Porosa was first-team All-CAA and a multiple CAA Player of the Week in 2004. She returns to spearhead the Mason attack this year. The senior outside hitter will be joined by CAA All-Rookie team member Jaqueline Kohler, now a sophomore, and seniors Niki Bernardes (opposite hitter) and Zulma Rojas (libero). Both Bernardes and Rojas were among the top 40 in the nation in service aces per game in 2004.
Chantal Bodkin-Clarke and Janelle Wilson return at middle blocker. Both are juniors. Sophomore Sarah Hipps and freshman Chelsea Kropp will battle for playing time at setter, replacing Jesica Umansky, the lone starter not returning from last year's team. Umansky was a four-time All-CAA player and she is a student-assistant this season. Other returning players include Kristen Byler, Lindsay Angelo and Melissa Kryfka.
Aside from Cropp, sophomore transfer Tricia Nelsen, senior Julie Flanders and freshmen Jourdan Dozier and Morgan Connell join the team as well.
The Hoyas were selected to finish in a tie for eighth in a preseason poll of its coaches. The Big East is fielding 15 teams this year in volleyball. Georgetown will also be looking to replace a four-time all-conference player in middle blocker Sara Albert. The Hoyas do return Ashley Lancaster and Jenny Weed, who had 16 kills and 10 kills, respectively, in last year's match against Mason, as well as Katie Nulty, who had 22 digs, and Kate Fisher, who had 21 assists.
