Winning teams are not the effect of individuals, but of the chemistry that binds the group together. Two seasons ago, ACC volleyball had a major shakeup in their player lineup after a winless season.
Last season provided some optimism, with the goose egg no longer in the win column. Head coach Whitney Shaw hopes they can build on last year to take Allen Community College volleyball to the next level. ACC finished the season 6-23, but none of those wins came in conference play.
Even though we did not win any conference games last year, I feel like we did, Shaw said. Those freshmen that are now sophomores are stepping stones in the right direction.
Like last year, the team will rely heavily on its freshmen.Returning from last year are Cheyene Dube, Celymar Cabranes, Brittney Eskridge, and Briteanna Curry. Shaw hails the four sophomores for their leadership, saying they are a crucial component to changing ACCs volleyball culture.
But in order to change the culture, some extra fire power is needed. Shaw looks to setter Laia Jaca of Puerto Rico to light the match.
She was kind of a gamble, because her film didnt really portray how good she actually is, Shaw said. When Laia and her family came to visit, I was blown away. She is so much better than her video actually showed.
Shaw has also been impressed with two first year outside hitters, Adriana Santiago and Sammie Alexander. Alexander was high school teammates with Dube in Fort Collins, Colo., and was attracted to the idea of playing with a former teammate.
Shaw said the four sophomores are the most inclusive of any players she has had in her 10-year tenure at AC.
Although the team culture is light-years better than before, wins are what defines a team down the stretch, and Shaw believes this season will lead to more.
They say the first game you have to win is the recruiting game, and I feel we did that for this season, Shaw said. We have stronger athletes than I have had in a long time. We have a couple of girls that come from smaller high schools that are pretty raw, but in individual training they have already calmed down.
ACC volleyball might not be known for the championship banners that hang in the arena, but Shaw says the girls are confident despite vigorous competition in the Jayhawk Conference.
The Lady Devils will be put to the test when they start their season against Neosho County Community College in the Fort Scott Tournament on Aug. 23.
