The volleyball team kicked off its season on Wednesday by quickly dismissing the Berry College (Ga.) Vikings in a 3-0 victory.

The No. 3 ranked Eagles won the games by scores of 25-23, 25-21 and 25-21.
“For our team especially, it is extremely important to get that first win because it does give our team the momentum, and it gives each player the confidence to push herself that much harder,” junior setter Natalie Schonefeld said. “The first win is more about the extra confidence and momentum because there isn’t a team we play this year that would allow us to relax. People get excited to play us, so we always have to stay on our toes.”

On the offensive side, junior outside hitter Jessica McAlvany and senior Amelia McCall each totaled eight kills.

The defense was led by a combination of McAlvany, Schonefeld and senior outside hitter Kelsey Krzyston, who had six digs apiece.

“I think our front row did a great job of blocking positioning yesterday, so they directed Berry’s hitters to our defense positions,” Schonefeld said. “They also forced Berry’s hitters to use soft shots and tips, and our defense was ready to grab most of those up.”

Serving was also a strength for the Eagles, with Schoenfeld and McAlvany totaling three aces each of the 11 the team recorded. Krzyston and McCall were also among those who picked up an ace during the contest.

Schonefeld spoke to the closeness of the team as one of their biggest assets both in Wednesday’s match and as the season progresses.

“One of our biggest strengths this year is our team chemistry. It really allowed us to push through hard times throughout the match because of the absolute trust we have in each other,” she said.

The win was the first for the Eagles after a 2009 season that saw them finish 34-8, which was the second highest win total in Emory history.

“We are still very young in the season, so we are prepared to improve all areas of our game,” Schonefeld said. “Our staff does a great job of adjusting practices throughout the season to improve an certain areas that they notice need attention from our matches.”

In 2010, the team will be striving for its 17th consecutive winning season, its 15th straight invitation to the NCAA Division III tournament and it’s fourth UAA championship in the past six seasons. More importantly, the highly-ranked Eagles enter the season as one of the favorites to win their second NCAA title in three seasons.

Last season, the Eagles’ championship hopes were dashed early on, as they lost in their first postseason game following the UAA Tournament.

“My goals for this season are to win both the UAA Conference Championship and the National title,” Schonefeld said. “We have a strong foundation of chemistry and talent that we can only build on throughout the season. The third ranking doesn’t add pressure; it provides the motivation to surpass it.”

The team will return to the court tomorrow when it competes in the Maryville College Tournament. The Eagles will first face Lynchburg College (Va.) and Southwestern University (Texas) on Saturday in their first slate of games.
On Sunday, Emory will face Mount St. Joseph (Ohio) and Maryville (Tenn.).

Contact Dan Ziment