The Volleyball team. Photo Credits – via wcupagoldenrams.com
As conference play gets underway, the West Chester University Women’s Volleyball team looks to build on last year’s success, as well as a hot start to the 2022 season.
The Golden Rams are certainly trending in the right direction as conference play begins. West Chester is coming off a 22-win season in 2021, which was their highest total since 2017. Additionally, a 10-4 record in conference play a year ago was good enough for 3rd in the PSAC East and a conference tournament berth.
Continuing last year’s momentum, the Rams got off to a roaring start to begin the 2022 campaign. WCU steamrolled through non-league play with a record of 10-1, with their lone defeat coming against Fairmont State University of the Mountain East Conference.
Leading the team in her 17th season as head coach is Kassie Bellaver. The longest tenured and all-time-winningest coach in program history believes that this year’s team has a chance to accomplish special things. “We have a daily goal, a weekly goal, and the ultimate goal of the season is that PSAC Championship.”
Perhaps the biggest key for the Golden Rams’ success this season will be replacing the production from last year’s senior class.
“We had eight seniors that ended up graduating from West Chester,” Bellaver added. Many of whom she described as her “go-to girls” that played a large role for her Golden Rams. Coach Bellaver expressed that, “They really look to the incoming first year class to fill some pretty big shoes.”
Having big shoes to fill is no understatement for these younger players, as outside hitters Julia Vreeswyk (2021 all-conference first team) and Sarah Polacek have graduated and departed from the program. Arriving on the scene and producing immediately has been first-year Brynn Dreisbach. The freshman from Allentown has made her presence felt in her first season in the purple and gold, leading the Golden Rams in kills throughout non-conference play. She is joined by senior transfer Tori Wright, an outside hitter that is proving to be another offensive weapon at Coach Bellaver’s disposal.
Middles Grace Whitney and Liv Rudjord (2021 all-conference second team) were heavily relied upon last year as seniors. Multiple freshmen have been filling in that role in their absence, as well as senior Hailey Lewis. After having to wait her turn behind upperclassmen and a year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewis has made the most of her opportunities thus far as a senior.
While the Golden Rams have seen significant talent graduate over the past year, they do return a pair of redshirt sophomores, libero Sydney Heffner and setter Jamie Byrne (2021 all-conference first team). Both Heffner and Byrne played a major part in the success of the Golden Rams last year, their first season of collegiate play. Heffner makes her presence felt on the defensive end, leading the Golden Rams in digs while Byrne has run the show on offense, leading the team in assists. Coach Bellaver describes the pair as “two core players that we really try to build around this year.”
WCU certainly has their fair share of talent on their roster, but no one player is more important than the team as a whole. Non-conference play serves as a great opportunity to get match experience for the entire team. As the PSAC schedule commences, Coach Bellaver stresses the importance of staying ready. “We always say it takes all of us… So when [a player’s] number is called or when their time may come, they have the confidence of knowing that they can play at a high level.”
PSAC play did in fact get underway this past week, as West Chester took care of business on the road against Millersville, three sets to one. The Marauders of Millersville made this one competitive, winning the third set after dropping the first two, but the Golden Rams proved to be too much, and they started league play off with a victory.
So we know the keys for this team: replacing graduated talent, freshmen stepping up, relying on established stars and working as a team. If everything breaks right for Coach Bellaver and West Chester, we could be in the midst of witnessing a very special season for the Golden Rams.
Your next chance to see the team in action will be at home Friday, Sept. 23rd at 7:00 PM against Lock Haven University.
Tommy Anderson is a third-year Communication Studies major with a minor in Journalism. TA946675@wcupa.edu