It is going to take something of a miracle for the volleyball team to return to the NCAA tournament this year. Not only would the Dutchwomen need to win every game and finish first in this weekend's UCAA Championship Tournament, they will need a lot of help in order to return to the national event. Fourth-year head coach Sandy Collins is not looking past this weekend when Union plays host to the conference tournament.
“We have never won a conference tournament,” said Collins, who has guided her team to second-place finishes each of the last two years. “Our goal is to win the tournament and then let the chips fall where they may.”
Collins came into the season with a record of 66-38. Her first season in 2000 saw the Dutchwomen qualify for the NYSWCAA postseason tournament for the first time since 1996. Her second season produced a record of 25-13 and the program's first-ever invitation to the ECAC postseason party. Last year Collins led her team to a record of 23-11 and Union's first-ever NCAA berth in 2002. This year's team enters the weekend with an overall record of 15-15.
Besides looking to capture their first-ever UCAA crown, several Dutchwomen are in a position to take control of the program's record books.
Senior Sarah Pontius, who is already the first Dutchwoman in the program's history to surpass the 4,000-assist mark, goes into the tournament looking to add to her 4,114 assists. Pontius, who broke the team's assist record during her sophomore year, also ha 933 digs, leaving her just 57 digs away from becoming just the eighth player at Union to reach the magic 1,000-mark.
Junior Jess Meliosky is just the 10th player to reach the 500 career kill standard and only the third Dutchwoman to go over 300 career blocks. She goes into the UCAA tournament with 511 kills and 345 blocks.
Sophomore Suzy Barbaritz, who has already has 627 assists, is only the sixth player to top the 600-mark while senior Julie Moran is 42 kills away from 1,000 and 25 digs away from a career total of 1,500 (she would be just the second player to reach the 1,500 career milestone. If Moran reaches those goals this weekend, she would become only the second player at Union to reach 1,000 career kills and 1,500 carer digs.
Collins and her Dutchwomen are looking forward to the challenges this weekend offers.
“We always play some of best volleyball against conference opponents,” said Collins. “The intense rivalries that exist between us and Vassar and us and Skidmore are pure motivation. Clarkson has beaten us three times this year and we will certainly be looking for redemption against them, especially on our home court.”
Here is a quick look at the teams:
VASSAR-(15-7)–has won the last two tournaments and defeated Union in four games in the opening round of last year's NCAA Tournament. Key players for Vassar include Anita Stavin, McKenzie Johnson, and Ashley Manlove
Seeded First & Two-Year Tournament Champions
SKIDMORE-(19-15)-key players include Courtney Lambert, Erin Black, Shanley Irving, and Darryl Manzer
Seeded Second
CLARKSON-(25-6)-key players include Heather Sill, Stephanie Thornton, and Kim Spierre
Seeded Third
UNION–(15-15)-the Dutchwomen have finished second in the event for the past two years. Key players include Jess Meliosky, Sarah Pontius, Julie Moran, and Ashley Clark
Seeded Fourth
ST. LAWRENCE–(9-23)-key players include Serena Shallish, Beth Patterson, and Kristen Ely
Seeded Fifth