Water Polo ready to hit the pool Brahmas still in search of first set, 0-4 on the season Volleyball home opener

Brahmas still in search of first set, 0-4 on season

EZZAT WANNAS Reporter @EzzatWanas

Women’s volleyball is still searching for its first win of the season after losing in straight sets to Citrus College.

The Brahmas lost the first and third sets 25-15 and the second 25-13.

With the loss, the Brahmas drop to 0-4, last in the Western State - East Conference.

Head coach Edison Zhou said that at the beginning of this game, they were 50-50 to win the game, but co-captain Rachel Wiley was ill.

“When the captain is sick, everyone else can be nervous,” Zhou said.

Despite being under the weather, Wiley led the Brahmas with seven kills, followed by Keturah Scott with six and Catelynn Pulido with five.

For Citrus, Gina Lipscomb led the team with 14 kills.

Zhou said that they are going to prepare everyone to become leaders on the court.

“When the first leader is sick the second one can lead and so the rest. To gain a progress to our team, we need to focus in the hitting, serving is good, passing is good, blocking over time will be good,” Zhou said.

Zhou said they need to improve on talking with each other during games and that they must enjoy playing the sport they are involved in.

“When we have a hard time we need to communicate, giving hand to our teammates,” Zhou said. “Try to play happy volleyball, enjoy playing and when you are in the volleyball court show your friends and your parents your happy face.” ewannas.roundupnews@gmail.com

Assistant coach Meaghan Wheeler said that every match is a learning experience.

“We are continuing to learn in each match, each point, and think how to learn from our mistakes,” Wheeler said.

Wiley said she felt better so she played against Citrus.

“When you lead your team, it is not just individual effort it is a team effort, and I think if everyone have the effort to put into the game we will win and succeed. “We need to “learn from what we did and keep building and make less errors,” Wiley said.

The Brahmas are back on the court on Oct. 12, when they host Victor Valley College at 6 p.m.

NICK MARTINEZ Reporter

@NickEsai

After playing two back-to-back games at the preseason tournament at LA Valley College, water polo shifts gear as they get ready for their season opener.

Unlike other fall sports at Pierce, water polo typically begins practicing when the semester starts, as opposed to in the summer.

Head Coach Judi Terhar believes that this has been a usual problem she faces every year, but now they finally get the head start they need.

“We have had water polo here at Pierce for quite some time now, but when Moriah Van Norman became athletic director she immediately got us in a position to have a summer water polo program so we could be prepared for the season and we have never had that before,” Terhar said.

“Our first game is a week or two [after school starts] which is impossible to even assemble a team, let alone start practicing and getting them in shape,” Terhar said.

Last year the team finished 0-7. Terhar believes that implementing the summer practices has already has had positive effects all around.

“We have a more committed team,” Terhar said. “Students don’t miss a practice, they are here everyday and we are growing as a team together, and that is all I can ask for.”

Returning player and team captain Cassidy Hoffman has grown confident since the summer practices were implemented.

“In the summer we had practice for an hour and a half every night, and I think that’s how we got some of the girls on the team this season, and this made me really hopeful, especially for the new girls as it was a way to learn more about the sport before the season usually starts,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman said that the new faces are committed and are excited to get started.

“Last year we had less players and even now we still don’t have a large team but we definitely have more players that are more enthused with the sport as compared to the previous season.” Hoffman said that there is a different vibe in the program.

“Overall this year I feel a lot better with our team, Everyone is definitely more dedicated, everyone is showing up to practice, and through that we have had more productive practices,” Hoffman said. “We are all working a lot harder during our practices so that everything goes smoothly for our next game.”

Van Norman believes that the team has a solid foundation for its upcoming season.

“I’m excited about the season, I think that coach Judi do a great job of building the whole student not just a water polo player,” Van Norman said. “I think it’s really important that were all mindful that as educators that we are helping students along their journey wherever that journey is and water polo is one part of that.” brought something out of me that I see is doing the same thing for him.”

The water polo team will have their first game on Oct. 10 at Citrus College against the Owls.

Their only home game will be against the Santa Monica College Corsairs on Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m.

Head coach Carlos Woods also attested to the fact that King is one of those players that comes out to give their all and helps guide his team in a successful path.

“He gives you everything you want in terms of being a great leader, being an effective communicator, he gives a 110 percent into everything that he does and it shows,” Woods said. “He’s gonna give you his best effort, so whoever comes in and gives him a big time offer is going to get a great return on their investment.” azolezzi.roundupnews@gmail.com