VALDOSTA, Ga. - The first half of the season served the Valdosta State volleyball team well, and the Blazers will look to keep the momentum in their favor this weekend with matches against the Lee Lady Flames on Friday at 6:00 p.m. and the Shorter Lady Hawks on Saturday at 10:00 a.m., both set to take place in Valdosta, Ga. at The Complex.
Friday night's contest features a rematch from September 12, when the Blazers (10-3, 7-3) traveled to Cleveland, Tenn. to pick up a 3-1 road win and their first of seven league wins so far this season. Since then, the Lady Flames (6-9, 4-5) have been on a roller coaster ride throughout their first half of conference play with a 4-4 record. The team's biggest win over that stretch was a 3-2 win over the North Alabama Lions, who currently represent the third best team in the GSC.
"They're a hard team to scout because they have shifted their lineup so many times this year," said Head Coach
Mike Swan of the Lady Flames. "We're trying to come up with somewhat of a generic gameplan for them. If we serve aggressively and can keep our blocking going, we feel like we can cause a lot of problems for them. That being said, we never want to take anyone lightly, especially at this point of the season."
Perhaps the biggest match of the season for the red and black will take place on Saturday morning, as the Blazers seek to avenge their first GSC loss of the season. The Shorter Hawks (12-2, 10-0) come to Valdosta as the league's number one team to place their unblemished conference record on the line against a determined Blazer squad.
"I feel like the conference is pretty evenly matched this year," said senior setter
Jessica Codato of weekend's upcoming matches. "I think it's going to be a lot of fun to play them in our place. It will be a great chance for us to show them what we've got."
The only three losses of the season for Valdosta State so far in 2014 came at the hands of the top three teams in the GSC, and despite 3-1 losses in each of those contests, the Blazers still exude an air of confidence as they prepare to kick off the second half of conference play. That optimism most likely stems from the fact that Valdosta State put up strong fights in each of those three losses, and the team is geared up and ready to prove themselves down the stretch.
"We are either going to fall off the edge at this point, or we are going to take it and run with it," said senior
Ashley Lala. "And from the way we've been practicing the last few days, I think we're getting ready to take it and run. We've been practicing so hard and playing well together, and if we will continue to work hard and focus on every day, every practice, every point, I feel like we can have a great second half."
The Blazers pursuit of the top spot in the GSC starts on Friday night at The Complex, and the VSU volleyball program is counting on the support of Blazer Nation. Stay tuned to www.vstateblazers.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter @BlazerAthletics to keep up with all things Blazer volleyball before and after you attend this weekend's matches. If you can't make it, be sure and follow all of the action live via links which will be available right here at www.vstateblazers.com.
