The Santa Clara

Issue date: 2/25/10 Section: Sports

Media Credit: BY SAMANTHA JUDA--THE SANTA CLARA The women's club volleyball team plays above the net at Malley Center. They are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation.

Media Credit: BY SAMANTHA JUDA - THE SANTA CLARA The women's club volleyball team has got their eye on the ball and the national championship. The Broncos hope to conquer their next match against Cal Poly.

The women's club volleyball team has gotten off to a fantastic start this year, with talent and momentum pushing them to a No. 4 national ranking prior to the most critical stretch of their season. The Broncos have suffered just two losses this season but have otherwise been dominant thus far.

"We have been playing together really well lately," said senior outside hitter Justine Schiele. "We all seemed to click as a team in the Cal Poly game."

The highlight of the season so far for the Broncos came at the UC Davis tournament. In Davis, they avenged their only league loss to No. 1 Cal Poly by beating that same Mustangs team en route to a tournament championship.

For the Broncos, it has been a true team effort, as every player on the squad has been integral in contributing to their high standing.

"There isn't one person that stands out. Everyone down to our bench cheering their teammates on has contributed so far this season," said Schiele.

While they are certainly pleased with the job they have done up to this point in the season, it is the upcoming portion of the schedule that is important for the Broncos. They have four tournaments in the next five weeks.

The Broncos will see action this weekend, and then they will compete in the league championships the following week.

"We won league the last three years, and another league championship would be huge" said Schiele.

After the league tournament, the team will receive a well deserved off-week before heading to a tournament in Las Vegas in which they have fared very well in the last few years.

Finally, they will travel to Louisville, Ky., where they will play in the biggest tournament of the year. In the Bluegrass State, Santa Clara will compete in the national championships for women's club volleyball.

The goal for the season centers around winning the Kentucky National Championship tournament. The squad has seen tough luck with injuries the past few seasons, but they feel like they are in great shape to take a run at a national championship.

"Since my freshman year, the goal has been to win nationals. This year we are looking pretty strong, and we are definitely going for it," said Schiele.

While nationals are certainly on the minds of the club team, they know that they have work to do between now and then. The league championship is a crucial opportunity to keep a streak of championships alive, but to do so they will see rival Cal Poly for a third time.

They will also run into stiff competition when they visit Las Vegas, where teams from around the country will be playing in a preview of the national tournament.

"We all have a part to play, but we feel like we have been pulling it all together and tightening things up. Another league championship would be huge, and we like the way we are going into nationals," said Schiele.

Backed by their number four national ranking. Santa Clara knows that they bring an extraordinarily strong squad into all these competitions.

They will need to be careful not to get caught looking ahead, but they should be in great shape to compete for a fourth straight league title and a shot at the school's first ever club sports national championship.

Contact Jackson Morgus at jmorgus@scu.edu or (408) 551-1918.

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