Volleyball team just keeps winning

By Taylor Laskoski | gargoyle@flagler.edu

No matter what happens during the regional tournament, Flagler College junior Jillian Unitas says that the season has already been a huge success for the volleyball team.

“It’s hard for a team to win regular season and conference tournament two years in a row, especially since we added and incorporated different players into our roster,” Unitas, the teams outside hitter, said. “However, it would be an incredible season to get to go to Nationals again.”

Coach Mott agrees and says that the national championship would just mean that much more after such a remarkable season.

“I look at successful seasons as ones where you feel like you have gotten the most out of your team. I feel this team has already experienced a great deal of success, but of course winning the national championship would be the icing on the cake,” said Mott, who led the team to a 24-8 regular season record.

“That doesn’t mean we are settling with the [Peach Belt Conference] title. We have bigger goals this season,” senior Meg Weathersby said.

Flagler will play Armstrong Atlantic in the opening round of regionals, a team they have beaten three times previously this season.

“We are approaching the regional championship this coming weekend really excited and with a lot of momentum,” Unitas said. “While it’s hard to beat a team four times, we are really excited no matter what is thrown at us.”

The key is to play like they have all season, said Weathersby.

“We are going into regionals with some great wins behind us, but we need to stick together to be successful,” she said.

Unitas and Weathersby agree that the chemistry between the team is what makes them so successful.

“Our team is a really close group of girls,” Unitas said. “In order to have a successful team I think it is necessary to be all really good friends since we spend every day together. Our schedule is constantly busy with an extensive travel schedule so we are all together all the time.”

With Flagler being the second seed, they will travel to Wingate, N.C., on Friday with the match taking place against Armstrong Atlantic at 2:30. The winner will face Tusculum-Carson-Newman on Nov. 20.