Volume 59, Issue 11  - October 30, 2006

Scorpions prepare to finish season on winning note
By Arath Lopez
Sports Editor

LUIS F. PEñA/COLLEGIAN

Defense specialist Joanna Knight practices defensive plays with her Scorpion teammates during Wednesday's practice at the Manuel B. Garza Gymnasium.

As the regular season comes to an end Saturday, the UTB/TSC Women’s Volleyball Team has raised some eyebrows as a newcomer in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

With an 8-1 conference record (18-10 overall) at press time, the Scorpions have clinched a berth for the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Nov. 10-11 at Waxahachie. The team is second place in the conference as it prepares to face its last two conference matches Friday at Texas College and Saturday at Paul Quinn College.

“The first game of each match we will probably work on the [players] that we plan on using going into the conference tournament matches,” said Head Volleyball Coach Bruce Atkinson. “After that, depending if we are doing well, then we will try to rest some of our key players.”

In non-conference action at the Oct. 27-28 Trinity University River City Tournament, the Scorpions faced Concordia University, Randolph Macon College, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III-ranked Trinity University.

“Trinity University is ranked fifth in NCAA Division III,” Atkinson said before the tournament. “If we beat them we should pick up some bonus points in regional rankings and that may help us. At this point we are pretty much set with what we are going to use. One advantage we have as a team is that anyone that we have on the bench could start if we wanted them to.”

Results of the tournament were not available at press time.

On Oct.19-21, the Scorpions embarked on the longest road trip of the season to battle in three conference matches, starting at Houston-Tillotson University.

The Scorpions again swept HTU, 30-22, 30-13 and 30-27. They first defeated them 3-0 at the South Padre Island Invitational on Aug. 25.

Against HTU, setter Lindsay Madsen had 25 assists, outside hitter Laura Mendoza eight digs and middle blocker Mariana Naldi had six aces.

The next day, the Scorpions were to face Langston University, which declared a forfeit. The team has forfeited all of this season’s home matches, Atkinson said.

The 1,500-mile road trip ended with a victory over Bacone College 28-30, 30-15, 30-15 and 30-14.

For the match, defense specialist Joanna Knight had 30 digs and outside hitter Katie Japp had 21. Splitting setting duties, Nancy Juma had 35 assists and Madsen had 16. Naldi and Japp finished with six blocks each. On offense, outside hitter Bridget Longoria finished with 12 kills.