Pieri Gym Renovations Won’t Stop Volleyball from Playoff Hopes

Photo Courtesy: Power883.org

Even though their home court advantage has been stripped away, the Dean College women’s volleyball team is still rallying for playoff opportunity.

Pieri Gym, their current home court, is currently under renovations and is unavailable for athletic or recreational use. This means two things for the team. Not only does it mean all their practices must be at an off-site location, but all their home games have been stripped. The players now must coordinate twice as much as they originally did and prepare for only away games. We spoke to volleyball player Amanda Payne regarding the matter.

“I believe that everyone in the athletic department is frustrated with the fact that the gym is not done. We as a volleyball team suffer most because we are the only ones playing in that gym right now, and I do not think people understand how many struggles we go through to find a time that works for practice,” Payne said.

While this time has been frustrating for the girls, their focus has not changed. With new Head Coach Mark Ledwich, the team is focused on reaching their goal of making the GNAC (Great Northeast Athletic Conference) playoffs. However, there are several factors the team is considering.

First and foremost, they are young. With only four upperclassmen on the team, it will take time for their scheme and chemistry to develop. Second, they are new to the GNAC. Any time a team is new to a conference it takes time to build a new reputation. Keeping this in mind, their near-sided goal is to do one thing: grow.

“Another goal we have as a team is just to grow. We spend every practice talking about personal and team growth and we have already seen major developments,” Payne said.

These challenges will not stop the women’s volleyball team from reaching for the stars.

The college is still working to help the team make the playoffs, and Athletic Director George Martin has made it clear to the team that his door is always open for support. The team is currently 1-5 and will play Massachusetts Maritime Academy this Tuesday at 7:00 PM.