Yuba College Women’s volleyball team walked into the gym Wednesday night, September 22, looking for their first win of the season against Diablo Valley College. “It was so close,” says Coach Thea Post. The match lasted five games, with the scores being 22-30, 31-29, 22-30, 30-17 and 11-15.
Unfortunately, Yuba came out on the losing end, despite a great effort. “Deanna Straolzini did a lot for us offensively and defensively, says Post. Straolzini finished the night with fourteen kills, fifteen digs and four aces. Straolzini is one of the four sophomores on the eleven women roster. She stands at 5’6” and is one of the two setters on the team.
Freshman Ashley DeMello contributed eighteen kills and fifteen digs, and Captain Krystal Gualco added ten kills and twelve digs. The fact that the majority of the team is freshmen doesn’t seem to be something that the coaches are too worried about. According to Post, the inexperience of her freshmen doesn’t concern her greatly. She has enough returning experience and potential to fall back on.
A lot of pressure has been placed upon the two captains, Krystal Gualco and Lyndsay Nelson, this season, and they have been getting the job done.
“Gualco and Nelson have done a great job leading us. We want Gualco to touch the ball on every serve receive. Nelson doesn’t have the size for a middle [blocker], but she has the mind of a middle,” says Coach Post.
The lose to Diablo Valley leaves Yuba with a 0-2 record in non-conference and 0-4 overall. So far Yuba has faced Merced, Sierra and Chabot College and has struggled every match. Fortunately, these loses have been during non-conference competition.
Coach Post adds optimistically, “We’re still looking for that first win.”
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