Aug. 26, 2010
Goode Headlines Three Patriots Named to CAA Preseason Awards List
Women's Volleyball Ticket Information
Having led the George Mason women's volleyball team to the CAA title seven times before, head coach Pat Kendrick knows that after winning it all in 2009, the road to a repeat is challenging. But with a talented group of returning players and four promising newcomers, Kendrick believes the 2010 Patriots are up to the challenge as they open their season this weekend in the D.C. Volleyball Challenge.
"We certainly want to build on what we started last year - it's something that we can start to expect, playing at a high level and competing for a championship every year," said Kendrick, who begins her 26th season as head coach. "I think we have the returning players as well as the new players to win a championship again. Our focus this year is to improve on what we started last year."
Headlining the returning Patriots are two seniors, setter Fernanda Bartels and opposite hitter Holly Goode. Both were All-CAA selections a year ago, with Goode taking home top conference and state honors while being named to the AVCA All-Region first team.
"Our seniors know what to expect in terms of level of play, and they've seen the team progress from being not real strong to being very good," Kendrick said. "I expect them to help the younger players understand what it means to play for a championship. Being their senior year, I know they want to go out on a good note and realizing that they started something good last year, and looking to finish it again for themselves this year."
The junior class is led by middle blocker Kelsey Bohman, whose breakout season a year ago resulted in an All-CAA first team selection and All-Region honorable mention.
"It means a lot having Holly, Kelsey and Fernanda back," Kendrick explained. "Fernanda is the court general in terms of running our offense. Kelsey had a great sophomore season leading the conference in blocks and Holly had a breakthrough year where she was pretty dominant in a number of categories."
Rounding out the upperclassmen is outside hitters Noelle Fanella and Kelly McCarter and libero Katrina Boryc. Fanella, an All-Rookie honoree two years ago, along with McCarter will be counted upon to provide major offense while Boryc is one of the team's most veteran back row players.
"Noelle played quite a bit for us on the outside but she was kind of quiet because she was behind Holly and Rebecca Walter, so we're looking for her to step up more," said Kendrick. "Kelly McCarter had a great spring and came in the best shape of anybody on the team. We definitely want to see her have a good season as well."
Three Patriots will return for their sophomore season, including middle blocker Danielle Cook who will be asked to replace graduated senior Laura Turner. Joining her in the sophomore class is outside hitter Ran Yin and setter Lauren Goodell.
"Danielle Cook has been looking pretty strong in practice, and she really didn't get a chance to play much last year, and she will be trying to fill the void left by Laura Turner in that position last year," Kendrick said. "She is a different type of player than Laura but I think she could potentially have a strong season for us and she has improved quite a bit since last year."
In 2010, the Patriots will welcome four newcomers: outside hitters Lana Zonjic and Samantha Hughes, right side/setter Tori Price and middle blocker Laura Spencer. In this group, Kendrick believes she has a talented corps that will be ready to contribute from the instant they step on the court for the first time.
"I think all of the freshmen bring something different to the team, and this group is a little bit further ahead than last year's group," Kendrick said. "Lana has played quite a bit in Croatia at the juniors level which is very strong. Tori is a very good athlete and she has been training to set even though most of her experience is playing middle and right side. Sam comes from George Mason legacy - her father and uncle both played for the men's volleyball team and she has grown up wanting to play for George Mason. Laura Spencer is a very physical type of player. She'll play the middle and she is a very good blocker."
As in previous years, the Patriots will play a strong non-conference slate of opponents to prepare to repeat as CAA champions. The season opens on Aug. 27 at American as part of the D.C. Volleyball Challenge, which shifts across the river to Fairfax as Mason will host Georgetown and George Washington a day later. Pre-conference tournaments at home (Patriot Invitational) as well as at Rutgers and Virginia round out the September non-conference schedule.
"Having a strong out-of-conference schedule helps as we try to work out some things with the returning players and seeing where the new players fit in," explained Kendrick. It's good that we have about three weeks of that because the conference is going to be strong again. I think our schedule will prepare us to compete well."
The Patriots begin their title defense on Saturday, Sep. 25 when they host James Madison at the RAC. One week later, Mason hits the road for the northern swing of conference play, facing Northeastern and Hofstra on Friday, October 1 and Sunday, Oct. 3, respectively.
Mason will welcome back its former players on Alumni Weekend on Oct. 8-9, coinciding with home matches against Georgia State and UNC Wilmington. The Patriots remain at home one more week, hosting William & Mary on Friday, Oct. 15 before a championship rematch against VCU the following day. The contest against the Rams, whom Mason defeated in five sets in Richmond to claim the CAA crown, will be Mason's Dig Pink Match.
What follows is the Patriots' longest road trip of the season, spanning three weekends with road matches at JMU (Oct. 23), Towson (Oct. 29), Delaware (Oct. 30), UNC Wilmington (Nov. 5), and Georgia State (Nov. 7). After the travel, Mason will return home for its final two regular season matches on Senior Weekend, hosting Hofstra and Northeastern on Nov. 12-13.
The 2010 CAA Championship will feature the top-four regular season finishers, and will be hosted by the top seed from Nov. 20-21. With a strong, talented team, Kendrick hopes the Patriots can return to the top and add another chapter to the Mason volleyball tradition.
"Considering this group had never gone to the NCAAs before, I thought we played really well and didn't have the `deer-in-the-headlights' look, being able to play against a nationally-ranked team on their home court in front of a big crowd," Kendrick said of Mason's post-season experience in 2009. "It showed them that we can play at a really good level and I hope it made the team a little bit hungrier to repeat this year."
Goode Headlines Three Patriots Named to CAA Preseason Awards List
RICHMOND, Va. - The Colonial Athletic Association released its preseason all-conference volleyball team on Thursday and three Patriots were among those honored, with senior Holly Goode being selected as the Preseason Player of the Year. Junior Kelsey Bohman was also named to the first team along with Goode, while senior Fernanda Bartels earned honorable mention.
Goode, the reigning CAA Player of the Year, finished the 2009 season ranked third in the league in points per set (3.70) and kills per set (3.17) and was seventh in hitting percentage (.282). The Virginia Beach, Va., native and First Team All-CAA honoree helped lead the Patriots to their first conference title since 2003.
Bohman also received a first team all-conference nod last season after recording a team-high .293 hitting percentage and a league-best 1.38 blocks per set. The junior middle blocker's blocks-per-set average ranked 16th in the nation last season.
Bartels was a second-team All-CAA performer a year ago, after a season in which she was second in the conference in assists, averaging 9.74 per set for a total of 1,062. The Belo Horizonte, Brazil, native led the Patriots in digs as well with 311, and was third in aces (26) and fourth in blocks (73) among teammates.
Joining Goode and Bohman on the preseason All-CAA squad are Delaware's Jess Chason and Kim Stewart, Northeastern's Britney Brown and William & Mary's Lindsay Kresch and Erin Skipper.
Fall Sports Season Passes are available for only $30 each. Purchase a season pass and receive a George Mason scarf, which will serve as your pass for entry into all home men's soccer, women's soccer and women's volleyball matches.
Single-match admission at the RAC is $5 for adults and $2 for youth and senior citizens. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
