#3 UC, #4 WV State entering WVIAC tournament
By Christopher Wade
Charleston Daily Mail
Losing seven key players off last year's team that won the West Virginia Conference Volleyball Tournament was bad enough for West Virginia State University. Now this year, injury and illness left the defending champion Jackets with only seven players, down from 11, through the last nine matches of the season.
Still, despite all that, State enters this week's WVC Tournament as perhaps the hottest team in the league with 11 straight wins to end the season. State (15-3 in the WVC) is the No. 4 seed and will play No. 13 Concord in the first round at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Charleston Catholic Sports Complex, host of the tourney Thursday-Saturday.
When asked about a possible repeat with everything the Jackets have faced, State Coach Shannon Gerencir said, "It would be amazing ... and kind of funny. It's unreal the way this year has been. So many teams could win the tournament,'' Gerencir said. "Everybody knows if you lose, you go home. It just depends on who gets hot and whoever is hungry. It's a neutral site so you have to take all kinds of factors into consideration."
Just like Gerencir, University of Charleston Coach Bren Stevens agrees that the talent in this year's tournament is very strong and spread out.
The longtime Golden Eagle coach indicated as many as six or seven teams could take home the crown.
"I think the tourney is going to be really tough," Stevens said. "All of the teams at the top are scary. We have our work cut out for us. We have to play good ball."
Stevens will lead UC into the tournament Thursday as the No. 3 seed. The Golden Eagles play No. 14 Salem International at 5 p.m.
UC tied State in the conference standings with a 15-3 league record, but earned the No. 3 seed after winning a coin toss to determine the tiebreaker.
"I'm not fond of the coin toss but you always like to get a higher seed," Stevens said. "But all the match-ups are tough. You can't look past anyone."
UC enters the tournament on a much different path than their rivals, State. After winning their first 13 conference matches, the Golden Eagles dropped three of their last five.
However, unlike State's youth, UC has six seniors on the team and all of them are regulars in the lineup.
Stevens doesn't believe the losing skid late in the season will be a problem with so much senior leadership on the team.
"We've had some tough losses lately, but we are expecting the seniors to step up," Stevens said. "We hope to keep their confidence up and we'll tweak a few things but we are looking for them to play well.
"This group has won it (the tournament) twice and knows what it takes. We expect them to be focused and ready to play. We are very optimistic and motivated."
UC is led by seniors Rebecca LaBrake, Katy Skelley and Roslyn Adams. All were first team All-Conference selections last season for the Golden Eagles.
Wheeling Jesuit is the No. 1 seed in the tournament with an undefeated conference record of 18-0. West Virginia Wesleyan is seeded second with a record of 16-2.
West Virginia Conference Tournament
Thursday-Sunday
At Charleston Catholic Sports Complex
Thursday
G1: #8 Pitt Johnstown (14-14, 9-9) vs. #9 Davis & Elkins (8-20, 7-11), 11 a.m.
G2: #7 Fairmont State (10-20, 10-8) vs. #10 Ohio Valley (12-24, 5-13), 1 p.m.
G3: #6 Glenville State (14-19, 10-8) vs. #11 West Liberty State (7-30, 5-13), 1 p.m.
G4: #5 Alderson-Broaddus (17-18, 12-6) vs. #12 Shepherd (9-21, 5-13), 3 p.m.
G5: #4 West Virginia State (20-13, 15-3) vs. #13 Concord (4-25, 3-15), 3 p.m.
G6: #3 Charleston (24-11, 15-3) vs. #14 Salem International (2-24, 1-17), 5 p.m.
G7: #2 West Virginia Wesleyan (23-10, 16-2) vs. #15 Bluefield State (0-21, 0-18), 5 p.m.
Friday
G8: #1 Wheeling Jesuit (29-11, 18-0) vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.
G9: G4 winner vs. G5 winner, 5 p.m.
G10: G2 winner vs. G7 winner, 7:30 p.m.
G11: G3 winner vs. G6 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
G12: G8 winner vs. G9 winner, 9 a.m.
G13: G10 winner vs. G11 winner, 11 a.m.
G14: Championship match, 4 p.m.
Charleston Daily Mail
Losing seven key players off last year's team that won the West Virginia Conference Volleyball Tournament was bad enough for West Virginia State University. Now this year, injury and illness left the defending champion Jackets with only seven players, down from 11, through the last nine matches of the season.
Still, despite all that, State enters this week's WVC Tournament as perhaps the hottest team in the league with 11 straight wins to end the season. State (15-3 in the WVC) is the No. 4 seed and will play No. 13 Concord in the first round at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Charleston Catholic Sports Complex, host of the tourney Thursday-Saturday.
When asked about a possible repeat with everything the Jackets have faced, State Coach Shannon Gerencir said, "It would be amazing ... and kind of funny. It's unreal the way this year has been. So many teams could win the tournament,'' Gerencir said. "Everybody knows if you lose, you go home. It just depends on who gets hot and whoever is hungry. It's a neutral site so you have to take all kinds of factors into consideration."
Just like Gerencir, University of Charleston Coach Bren Stevens agrees that the talent in this year's tournament is very strong and spread out.
The longtime Golden Eagle coach indicated as many as six or seven teams could take home the crown.
"I think the tourney is going to be really tough," Stevens said. "All of the teams at the top are scary. We have our work cut out for us. We have to play good ball."
Stevens will lead UC into the tournament Thursday as the No. 3 seed. The Golden Eagles play No. 14 Salem International at 5 p.m.
UC tied State in the conference standings with a 15-3 league record, but earned the No. 3 seed after winning a coin toss to determine the tiebreaker.
"I'm not fond of the coin toss but you always like to get a higher seed," Stevens said. "But all the match-ups are tough. You can't look past anyone."
UC enters the tournament on a much different path than their rivals, State. After winning their first 13 conference matches, the Golden Eagles dropped three of their last five.
However, unlike State's youth, UC has six seniors on the team and all of them are regulars in the lineup.
Stevens doesn't believe the losing skid late in the season will be a problem with so much senior leadership on the team.
"We've had some tough losses lately, but we are expecting the seniors to step up," Stevens said. "We hope to keep their confidence up and we'll tweak a few things but we are looking for them to play well.
"This group has won it (the tournament) twice and knows what it takes. We expect them to be focused and ready to play. We are very optimistic and motivated."
UC is led by seniors Rebecca LaBrake, Katy Skelley and Roslyn Adams. All were first team All-Conference selections last season for the Golden Eagles.
Wheeling Jesuit is the No. 1 seed in the tournament with an undefeated conference record of 18-0. West Virginia Wesleyan is seeded second with a record of 16-2.
West Virginia Conference Tournament
Thursday-Sunday
At Charleston Catholic Sports Complex
Thursday
G1: #8 Pitt Johnstown (14-14, 9-9) vs. #9 Davis & Elkins (8-20, 7-11), 11 a.m.
G2: #7 Fairmont State (10-20, 10-8) vs. #10 Ohio Valley (12-24, 5-13), 1 p.m.
G3: #6 Glenville State (14-19, 10-8) vs. #11 West Liberty State (7-30, 5-13), 1 p.m.
G4: #5 Alderson-Broaddus (17-18, 12-6) vs. #12 Shepherd (9-21, 5-13), 3 p.m.
G5: #4 West Virginia State (20-13, 15-3) vs. #13 Concord (4-25, 3-15), 3 p.m.
G6: #3 Charleston (24-11, 15-3) vs. #14 Salem International (2-24, 1-17), 5 p.m.
G7: #2 West Virginia Wesleyan (23-10, 16-2) vs. #15 Bluefield State (0-21, 0-18), 5 p.m.
Friday
G8: #1 Wheeling Jesuit (29-11, 18-0) vs. G1 winner, 5 p.m.
G9: G4 winner vs. G5 winner, 5 p.m.
G10: G2 winner vs. G7 winner, 7:30 p.m.
G11: G3 winner vs. G6 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
G12: G8 winner vs. G9 winner, 9 a.m.
G13: G10 winner vs. G11 winner, 11 a.m.
G14: Championship match, 4 p.m.