Quality Key For Men's Volleyball In 2007
QUALITY KEY FOR ELMS COLLEGE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL IN 2007
CHICOPEE, MA, Jan. 18, 2007 - In the sport of volleyball, quality and not quantity often dictates the success of a team.
If that is true, the Elms College men's volleyball team could be poised for a record-setting 2007 season.
The Blazers return four players, including two key starters from last year's team that finished 6-13.
Those six wins were the most in the program's brief four-year history and included a season-high, three-match winning streak at midseason. Among those was the team's first-ever win over Endicott College, then ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Top 15 Coaches Poll.
Elms College's 13 losses a year ago are deceiving, however, as the Blazers played in seven matches against teams ranked in the AVCA Top 15 Coaches Poll, including North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) New England Division foes MIT, Newbury, Endicott and eventual Division III national semifinalist Rivier.
A breakdown of how the Blazers will hit the court in 2007:
SETTER
Freshman Ivan Andujar (Carolina, Puerto Rico) comes in as arguably the most highly-touted recruit in the program's five-year history.
Andujar brings a combined eight years of club and high school volleyball playing experience to Elms College. He was named all-conference, all-regional and all-state setter of the year during his senior year of high school at Colegio Bautista de Carolina in 2005.
Andujar also played eight club seasons for the Club Gigantes de Carolina and led the team to four state titles during that time. In 2004, he was named Most Outstanding Setter of the Southern California Volleyball Association (SCVA) Tournament.
OUTSIDE HITTERS
The addition of Andujar allows junior Byron Bledsoe (Lake Forest, CA) to move from setter to outside hitter - a move that should provide an immediate bolster to the Blazers' offensive attack.
Bledsoe and graduated middle blocker Patrick Boyajian '06, became the first Elms College players ever to earn postseason accolades as the two earned Second Team NECVA New England Division honors last season.
He finished 10th nationally in Division III a year ago in hitting percentage (.388) and knocked down 181 kills - second to only Boyajian's team-leading 277 kills.
Bledsoe has also proven a force both serving and at the net as well. His 48 aces ranked eighth nationally and he also added 47 block solos and 81 total blocks in just 69 games last season.
Senior Matt Zybert (Shrewsbury, MA) and sophomore Tim Gordon (Methuen, MA) both return to the outside after combining for 60 kills and 124 digs in 2006.
Freshman Mike Ryan (Ludlow, MA) joins the team this season after playing at perennial Western Massachusetts power Ludlow during his high school career.
MIDDLES
Six-foot-five senior Brian Cunniff (Pittsfield, MA) and 6-4 senior Anthony Cesaro (North Kingston, RI) bring solid size and athleticism to the net for the Blazers.
Cunniff registered 136 kills, 46 solo blocks and 75 total blocks a year ago and was ranked among the nation's Division III leaders in blocking for much of last season.
SCHEDULE
The 2007 schedule features seven matches against opponents ranked in the AVCA Division III Coaches Poll last season, including an extremely difficult stretch of matches against NECVA New England Division foes No. 11 MIT, Endicott and Newbury in the season's first week.
The Blazers will also play their first-ever match against a Division I opponent against Sacred Heart University in the January 27th tri-match at Newbury College.
Following the team's first-ever trip to compete in the Gothic Knight Invitational at New Jersey City University on February 17, the Blazers will have a chance to capitalize on a five-match homestand against Lasell (Feb. 24), Bard (Feb. 25), MIT (Feb. 28), Newbury (March 3) and Mount Ida (March 7).
WRAP-UP
The Blazers possess experienced setting, dangerous outside hitting and size at the net. The biggest test facing the program in 2007 will be its ability to stay composed in a very difficult New England Division.
If Elms College can successfully handle itself within divisional play and receives contributions from its role players, the team could be poised to earn its first-ever berth in the season-ending NECVA Tournament in April.