Last weekend marked the start of the season for both the Tommies women’s and men’s volleyball teams.
The St. Thomas University men’s squad downed the Holland College Hurricanes 3-1 in Saturday’s home opener, while the Tommies women fell 3-0 to the Hurricanes on Saturday and the Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics on Sunday.
Although the STU women lost in their first matches of the 2016-17 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association campaign, head coach Don McKay has high hopes for his roster.
“Our expectations are to make playoffs and advance farther than we have in the last two years,” said McKay.
“We’re hoping to get into the semifinals and obviously to win it.”
The women’s team has reached the league semifinals two years in a row, but was defeated both times.
McKay said there have been plenty of changes to his team this year, one of them being a more rigorous training program that sees the team working out three days a week.
“We’ve made the decision to do high-performance training, which is a program offered out of the [University of New Brunswick] gymnasium,” said McKay.
“They set up a program for our team where they take us through different stages based on what it is that I want and what the kids’ weaknesses are.”
Going into this season, McKay said, there was the potential of having 10 returning players, but only three veteran players will suit up for the Tommies.
“They’re three solid players: Jessica Barna, who is in her final year, and Deidra Jones, who transferred from Cape Breton [University] last year,” said McKay.
“And Veronique McGrath, who transferred up from UNB Saint John last year.”
Both Barna and Jones are leading the team as co-captains.
Ten new rookies will join the roster this season, with three of them being recruited from the Fredericton area.
Hannah Millier and Megan Mills both previously played with the Tommies’ club program and for Leo Hayes High School.
McKay said both women played at a high enough level to take on leadership roles with the team.
“Honestly all the teams are going to be competitive,” said McKay.
“It’s a lot of fun, because if you don’t show up, or you don’t play hard, you’re not going to win.”
STU men have sights set on another banner
Members of the men’s volleyball team are feeling confident this year, with expectations to make nationals again.
“In all three of my years being here, we’ve made it to the national championship by winning the ACAA,” said Jonah Burridge, a fourth-year player.
This year, Burridge said, the team has a good mix of rookies and veteran players.
Burridge said that, with the leadership qualities in the veteran players, and having fellow fourth-year player Marc Blinn as captain, the rookies are more likely to develop good habits and take on big roles with the team.
He also said this year’s team is better all around than before, and each player can contribute something.
“We have a deeper team this year – deeper than past years – where we can take some players off the bench and they can step in and make some valuable contributions,” said Burridge.
This increased depth is helping everyone train better in practices.
“In our practices, it’s more competitive. We can put our starting lineup on one side and the bench players on the other side, and we can compete against each other and drive the competition up.”
The Tommies men face the UNBSJ Seawolves on the road Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m.
The women’s side plays the University of Kings College Blue Devils Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. and the Mount Allison University Mounties Nov. 13 at noon.
