TicketsVolleyball Opens Spring Season Saturday
Contact: Shawn Sell
4/3/2003
Julie DuPont is one of four returning starters for Cincinnati. |
CINCINNATI, Ohio---The University of Cincinnati volleyball team, under the guidance of head coach Reed Sunahara, will open the month-long spring season Saturday at the Palos Courts Spring Tournament in Chicago, Ill.
The Bearcats, who finished 23-9 last fall and advanced to a fourth straight NCAA Tournament, will field a team consisting of just seven players due to graduation and injuries. Cincinnati is scheduled to play four games at Saturday's tournament, including match-ups with Indiana, Valparaiso, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Illinois-Chicago.
"Our goals for the spring season are obviously to win all of our matches, but we really just want to get better," said Sunahara. "We will be down on numbers and will have some players playing out of position, but it's just important for us to get some repititions. I am looking for last fall's freshmen to make an impact since they will be really getting a chance to play and show what they can do. The spring is about coming together as a team and improving for us."
The Bearcats return four starters from last season's team including a pair of all-conference performers in second team choice Julie DuPont and third team selection Laura Lauder. Cincinnati also welcomes back Maddie Barron and Rachel Torblaa, along with Lindsey Garrison, the Bearcats' starting libero in 2002.
The Palos Courts tournament will the the first of four spring competitions for the Bearcats. The squad will also compete at Wright State and Kentucky, before hosting the Cincinnati Spring Tournament on April 26 in Fifth Third Arena at the Shoemaker Center.