With a roster packed with newcomers and a tough nonconference schedule, the SBCC women’s volleyball team needs to hit the ground running for the 2011 campaign.
“We are going after the big teams early this year,” said coach Ed Gover, who‘s starting his 21st season at the helm. “Teams like Cypress, Pasadena, El Camino, Fullerton and L.A. Pierce. Our preseason will be a preview of the playoffs.“
The two-time defending WSC North champion Vaqueros are coming off a 21-6 season that ended with a third-round playoff loss at Pasadena. They were ranked No. 9 in the final state poll.
Six of seven starters graduated from that squad, including setter Kelsey Soos, the WSC Player of the Year who’s now at the College of Idaho.
Santa Barbara opens on Friday with a pair of matches at the Pasadena Tournament. The Vaqueros will take on Cypress, which finished third in the state last year, at 3 p.m. and Glendale at 5 p.m. in the one-day event.
SBCC is 42-9 over the last two seasons and was a perfect 7-0 at home last year. The Vaqueros have won 24 of their last 25 in the Sports Pavilion.
They’ll make their home debut in the SBCC Quad on Sept. 17 against Golden West and Fullerton.
Outside hitter Arianna Kamp is the lone returning starter. Other returners are libero/defensive specialist Erika Bellitt and setter Mariah Mathews.
A pair of local products — 6-footer Bianca Castro and 5-11 Heidi van den Oever — will play middle blocker. Castro was an all-Channel League player for Dos Pueblos High while Van den Oever, a former Laguna Blanca standout, is a transfer from Westmont College.
Melissa Luke and Rachel Stehly are top outside hitters. Mathews and freshman Daniella Lacroix are battling for the setter spot.
Armen Zakarian, who took over the SBCC men’s volleyball team last year and led them to the playoffs, is an assistant coach for the women.”Our girls are very competitive and get after it every day in practice,” said Gover. “They are really adapting to the new system that Armen has brought to the team this year. Our goal is to get better each and every day.”
Zakarian added: “We want to run a stronger offense. I think our middles and outsides will be our strengths. I love being an assistant, Ed and I work really well together.”
Gover says the keys to success are ball control and serving.“Winning the serve/receive and serving battles is our first line of business,” he stated. “It takes a little more time for the hitters and setter to develop that connection of a faster-pace offense. But we definitely have the talent to accomplish that.”
SBCC went 9-1 to win the last two WSC North crowns, sharing the title with Moorpark each time. The Vaqueros will play 12 conference games this year with the addition of L.A. Mission.
“Obviously, we want to win our conference championship,” said Gover. “We’re going to do everything we can to put ourselves in position to do that.”
