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`The lady Marauders volleyball team (9-16, 2-8 PSAC East) has had what some may call an “average” season, managing to keep their win percentile thus far to just under 10, however, the season has been far from a failure, according to both the coaches and players.
Betsy Hayden, in her first year of coaching the lady Marauders, has spent the season adjusting to her new coaching environment and getting to know her players, all the while improving their game.
She became head coach this year after leading the program at Wesley College during the 2007 season.
Hayden is assisted by Beth Foster, also in her first year of coaching in Millersville.
“We’ve improved throughout the season and that’s all you can ask for when you have a new coach,” said Hayden.
A few players helping Hayden through the transition are junior setter Meredith Sinback, a member of last season’s All-PSAC Second Team, along with seniors Kathy Howard and Laura Navin and junior Emily Bires.
Navin serves as the team captain, and according to her teammates, is a very strong leader.
“She is a key to the back row,” said Hayden. “She has just been a team leader and a key to our defense, which has really been improving throughout the season.”
Bires is considered to be the team’s leading hitter this year, contributing to every game.
The lady Marauders are a very young team, over half the roster being composed of freshmen, so those team members are making the transition into the program along with their coach.
“All of our freshmen have been very strong contributors to our success this year,” said Hayden.
“Some of them have had to step into very important roles right through the gate.”
According to Hayden, five freshmen have had particularly successful seasons, and have stepped into starting positions right from high school, an oddity in college athletics.
Kellie Conahan, Devin Fortney, Gillian Hollen, Allison Huss and Brittany Lease have all experienced that challenge this season.
Coming off a four game winning streak against East Stroudsburg University (3-0), the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (3-0), Nyack College (3-1) and Wilmington College (3-2); the team fell to Lock Haven in 0-3 on Oct. 28.
However, Hayden feels as though the winning streak was a huge success for the squad.
“I think it’s great that the kids experienced the winning streak we had,” she said.
“It’s a great way to build the momentum for the rest of the season; Lock Haven is just a very good team. I feel the winning streak gave us the momentum we need to carry through until next season.”
Lock Haven is currently 23-4 overall and 9-0 in the conference, and is considered to be a very strong team, clinching a playoff berth.
“We were playing much better; we just ran into the buzz saw called Lock Haven, who are undefeated in the PSAC East,” Hayden said.
Strong contributors to the four-game winning streak included Sinback, who had a team high 12 kills and 20 assists, as well as 11 digs in the team’s most recent victory over Wilmington.
Bires led the team in kills with 12 during the win over Nyack, with Sinback and freshman Hannah Duckworth close behind, each with seven.
Defensive specialist Navin contributed a season-high 31 digs during the most recent win over Wilmington as well.
With the winning-streak and the teamwork that has been shown throughout the season, both the team and Hayden are feeling very optimistic about next season, and can only look to improve.
“It’s been great being here at Millersville,” said Hayden.