The Wilkes volleyball team hosts the Mid-Atlantic Conference Crossover Tournament where they hope to pack away two more wins.
The Lady Colonels take on Elizabethtown College at 10 a.m. and Widener University at 4 p.m. Oct. 5 both at Marts Gymnasium.
Head Coach Joseph Czopek said he thinks the home court advantage will benefit the girls during their long break between games.
“The MAC Crossover is special in that we will be playing teams who we don’t see any other time this season,” Czopek said. “The Commonwealth division has a reputation for being a strong part of the MAC. Here we will be battling teams with a long reputation for volleyball success.”
Senior Casey Bohan said: “The key to winning will be to play our hearts out. The teams we’ll be playing will be very evenly matched with us, so we’ll have to give it everything we’ve got to come out on top.”
The team has faced several injuries this season causing a mix of new line-ups. However, this has not held the players back with a record of 2-0 in conference play. As the team finds confidence in its wins, the players also learn from their losses.
“During preseason we discussed that our team has to expect losses are going to happen, and know that we must be able to overcome the disappointments,” Czopek said.
Bohan said she believes in a positive attitude to keep her teammate’s heads up.
“We do a couple of pre-game cheers to get everyone excited, but I think that the best motivation comes from on the court,” Bohan said. “Every kill, every ace, every block, we cheer each other on. The best way to lead is by example. Keeping an upbeat attitude on and off the court is the key to keeping everyone else motivated.
They hope to make conference playoffs and advance into the final round. As a senior, Bohan said she is ready to leave everything she has out on the court.
“Every time I set foot on the court, I have it in my head that we are going to win and that I’m going to give 110 percent the entire game to ensure that win,” Bohan said. “I hate losing, but I also accept that it happens to everyone. You just move on and play the next game.”