Volleyball Hosts Home Opener Tonight, Looks to Build on Success in 2015

PAXTON, Mass.—The Anna Maria College volleyball program saw its most successful season a year ago—the team qualified for their first-ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tournament, had a program-best 13 wins, and had their first GNAC Player of the Week selection in rookie Rebecca Foti (Bedford, N.H.).

But don't think the AMCATS are resting on those laurels. The team is back and is more determined than ever in their quest for success.

"We have even bigger goals this season," said Head Coach Samantha Shomo, who is now entering her fifth season at the helm of the program. "We have our sights set on another tournament appearance. We also want to beat last season's wins record (13), and to place a player on the GNAC All-Conference team at the end of the season."

Picked to finish seventh in the GNAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the team's highest ranking to date, the veteran squad lost just one player from the 2014 team, in Jacqueline Clinton '15, a two-year captain and successful outside hitter.

 The 2015 squad will be captained by a power duo of seniors—setter Samantha Parker (Athol, Mass.) and serving specialist Emily Adriaansen (Pepperell, Mass.). Parker had an impressive junior campaign, dishing out 625 assists with an average of 6.58 assists per set. The program leader in career assists, Parker already has over 1,500 assists under her belt. Adriaansen, who also holds the role of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, has totaled 58 aces throughout her first three seasons.

Joining Parker and Adriaansen as seniors are libero Brittany Jackson (Larchmont, N.Y.), middle hitter Jessica Goulet (Lawrence, Mass.), and right side hitter Brianna LaRegina (Troy, N.Y.). Jackson returns after leading the team in digs with 365 as a junior. Goulet totaled 175 kills and had 62 blocks last season, while LaRegina was an all-around player, totaling 87 kills, 136 digs, and 21 blocks.

Also returning to a strong AMCAT offense are sophomores Foti and Telliah Bursie (Cheektowaga, N.Y.). The pair went back-and-forth all season as the team's kills leader, with Foti eventually taking the top spot by a one-kill advantage, 180 to 179. Foti also added 39 serving aces, while Bursie totaled a team-leading 63 blocks.  

Rounding out the returners is junior Demi Carrero (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) and sophomore Kerri Earle (Bethel, Conn.). Carerro totaled a team-high 40 service aces last season, while Earle, a setter, saw action in 22 matches and totaled 49 assists.

In addition to the nine returners, Shomo has added four freshmen to the squad: Amari King (Lawrence, Mass.), Carolina Garcia (Springfield, Mass.), Victoria Falco (Marlborough, Mass.), and Sarah Lathrop (Waterford, Conn.).

"Amari is an exceptional athlete and a consistent volleyball player," said Shomo. "She is expected to make major contributions this season."

Defensive specialsists Garcia, from Springfield, Mass., and Falco, from Marlborough, Mass., will look to compete for time with a veteran backcourt.

Lathrop, an outside hitting from Waterford, Conn., comes to Anna Maria following a decorated career at Waterford High School, where she earned All-State First Team honors as a senior.

Shomo believes that the squad will need to pick up GNAC wins against Norwich, Lasell, and St. Joseph's College of Maine this season in order to have success.

"Those three school are teams that we've played closely, and are matches that have a huge impact on conference standings."

The battles between these schools are so intense that, last season at Norwich, the match lasted for 2.5 hours and resulted in a 15-13 win by Norwich in the fifth set.

The AMCATS, who enter tonight's home opener with five games under their belts already, will take on Regis at 7:00 p.m.

The game is the first of many home games for the AMCATS this season, including three home tri-matches scattered throughout the season—the first on Saturday, September 26^th against Daniel Webster and Connecticut College.