Club remains undefeated
Men’s team keeps finding ways to win, remains unbeaten through 12 games
UNBEATEN — Middle blocker Sam Eisbrenner elevates for a spike as the Flames maintain their perfect season. Photo credit: Steven Abbott
Heading into the fall season with many new players added to the lineup, Liberty’s men’s club volleyball team was uncertain how it would fare in its opening tournaments.
With two tournament wins in the books, it appears as if they will have nothing to worry about.
The Flames have started the fall season 11-0-1, winning both the Eastern Mennonite University tournament Sept. 6 and their home Liberty Tournament Oct. 11.
Transfer sophomore setter Nick Williamson was named most valuable player of the EMU Tournament, but gave the credit to his whole team.
“It is a testament to the hard work we put in,” Williamson said. “Obviously, I couldn’t have done it without my team. I think it was a team effort, not one person.”
For the first time, the men’s volleyball team has enough players on its roster to have two separate teams compete at each tournament.
Head Coach Bryan Rigg said having 18 men on the roster, with six being freshmen, has made a profound impact so far.
“We’ve been able to travel two teams to get the younger guys experience,” Rigg said. “We have been able to scrimmage every Thursday. It has made guys who were comfortable in their position have to fight for their spot, so everyone has improved.”
The Flames top returning hitter from last year, Kevin Snyder, also emphasized the benefits of having a large roster.
“It pushes us a lot in practices,” Snyder said. “There are a lot of guys who are hungry and eager to make the starting squad, and that helps. It helps us to stay focused in practice and helps us to be the best we can be.”
Returning junior defensive player Josiah Williams acknowledged the importance of the previous court experience of the new players. He said many of the freshmen have had extensive club and high school playing time. Williamson, though not a freshman, played a semester at the University of Arizona and a semester at a southern California community college, which he led to a conference title.
“We have better team chemistry,” Williams said. “(The new players) have definitely brought lots of talent and their mental game. They are really smart on the court.”
But the Flames recent success in their tournaments did not begin on the court. The Flames participated in a preseason conditioning boot camp.
“We ran, and we ran, and we ran,” Snyder said. “We did a lot of conditioning and mental toughness. We stayed away from the volleyball courts, and we just came together. Having gone through boot camp, encouraging each other and finishing together is what really helped
us come together as a team.”
To conclude their preseason schedule before the official spring season begins, the Flames will travel to the King’s College Tournament in Tennessee Nov. 1 and the Lancaster Bible Tournament Nov. 22.
In addition, the Flames will host Rutgers University in a midnight match Jan. 30, 2015 at the Vines Center. The men’s volleyball squad will be the first Liberty club sports team to play an official game in the Vines Center.
“We are excited,” Rigg said. “We have already started marketing it. We have big plans.”
Snyder said he has been looking forward to Jan. 30 since the summer.
“I kept thinking about Jan. 30 and how awesome it’s going to be,” Snyder said. “Just the fans that are going to come out and support (us). What a great opportunity to come out and just be on this team.”
Yet, defeating Rutgers in the Vines Center is not the team’s ultimate goal.
“Our goal from the second week of April, right after nationals, was to win a national championship this year,” Rigg said. “Our goal from the beginning was a national championship. It still is the goal, and it’s becoming more and more realistic as the season goes on.”
RODRIGUEZ is a sports reporter.