With tough out-of-conference schedule, Volleyball finds form in CAA

Jim Swing
Assistant Sports Editor

After a 2-13 out-of-conference start to the season the VCU volleyball team has begun a turn-around for the ages that finds them with a 5-2 in-conference record in the midst of a two-way tie for second place with James Madison.

The Rams have overcome criticism and adversities in route to a string of upsets including stunning wins over JMU and George Mason over the past weekend. VCU started off the weekend with a statement, defeating an experienced JMU team 3-1 with help from senior Kelsie Clegg (Boise, Idaho/Boise Senior High) who made history with her 386th block moving her into first place on the Rams all-time leading block list. The most recent win came on Saturday in a 3-2 win over the first place Patriots with a touch of revenge for VCU after last season’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to GMU in the CAA Championship. “We had some sour memories from last year and we talked about focus and team chemistry,” said head coach James Finley. “We’ve taken our bumps and bruises in the beginning of the season and it was a really great win for us.”

Clegg led the team once again with 10 kills and five digs along with a .240 hitting percentage to contribute to her first place hitting status in the CAA. “Her leadership has been great,” Finley said. “She plays with a lot of passion and consistency which really helps us.”

With a rough out-of-conference start which set a dark tone on the first half of the season, the Rams have rebounded winning five of their last seven matches to contend for a spot in the CAA Tournament. After facing a tough out-of-conference schedule featuring top tier teams such as Arizona State, Penn State, and Kentucky, VCU has put the first half behind them. “There was a lot of value in the games we played against tough teams,” said Finley. “We played so many close matches to top 25 teams and our confidence was a little shaken but the girls were able to put that aside and use it as a learning experience to help us prepare for our in-conference games.”

Following a 2-14 out-of-conference record so far, some would debate whether coach Finley and his staff scheduled a season above their control. When asked Finley said “I am fine with the way it turned out, sometimes thing don’t turn out the way you expect them to.”

Throughout the strong out-of-conference schedule the young team has remained tried and true always looking ahead. “Our young kids have already came up to me and said ‘we’re going to kick their butts next year,” said Finley. “I think they have come out of it very confident and we hope to continue to move up in the NCAA rankings which is our goal.”

The VCU volleyball team put their rough past behind them with total focus on the in-conference battle ahead. “Once we get through win non-conference games, we don’t even look it anymore,” Finley said. “What matters is what is happening now and this is the CAA.”

The Rams will continue their difficult road to success Friday in a match against Georgia State (9-11, 3-3) to begin a string of key CAA match-ups. The remainder of the season’s nine games will consist of seven home matches which will give VCU a homecoming unlike any other. “We are so excited to be at home and the girls are really looking forward to it,” said Finley. “We are looking to build on what we accomplished this past weekend and our team is very motivated at this point in the season.”