Volleyball Home Opener Thursday

September 23, 2008

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The wait is finally over. The Southwestern Oklahoma State University volleyball team will at long last make its home debut Thursday night against in-state rival Southeastern Oklahoma State University. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. at Rankin Williams Fieldhouse.

Nearly a full month has passed since Coach Bo Pagliasotti and his Bulldogs opened the season on Aug. 29. SWOSU has played a total of 14 matches and emerged victorious in five of them. SWOSU’s previously scheduled home match against Southern Arkansas on Sept. 2 was Canceled because of scheduling difficulties with the visitors.

 “Getting to play at home this week will be like doing the Nestea plunge. I mean it will be refreshing to have the fans cheer for us this time,” Pagliasotti said.

Although SWOSU has lost its last four matches, the Bulldogs have regrouped and played some of their best volleyball as of late. In their last match, the Bulldogs extended unbeaten Midwestern State to an extra game for only the sixth time this season.

“We are playing well and we have just started to hit a groove,” Pagliasotti said.  “We are still working on creating points and finding leadership.”

SWOSU struggled initially when outside hitter Stephanie Parker went down with an injury on the season’s first weekend. Parker, a sophomore from Azle, Texas, had elevated her play and ranked as the team’s leading attacker with a .312 percentage when she went down.

Now without Parker, SWOSU has called upon Jennifer Naramore and Emily Walter to pick up extra duty. Naramore and Walter, along with veteran Kacia Sandburg, carry the bulk of the offensive attack for the Bulldogs. One of those three have led the team in kills all but one match this year.

SWOSU has a second home match Saturday, Sept. 27 at 12 noon against East Central University, a first-year program. 

“These are key matchups,” Pagliasotti said. “We have to defend our turf in order to get into the playoffs.  We play more conference matches at home this year than we do away. If we win them all, we will not only have a winning conference record but pretty much assure ourselves a spot in the playoffs.”