Your future, our focus
BY DAVID DICKEY
Tribune Sports Editor
NWC notches 5-1 mark, improves to 8-5
One year after enduring a 4-9 start to the 2007-08 season, the Northwest College Lady Trappers appear to be a team on the rise. Despite those obstacles and a 13-player roster filled with nine freshmen, first-year Lady Trapper head coach Flavia Siqueira directed her squad to a 3-4 mark during NWC's first action of the season.
NWC, under the direction of first-year Lady Trapper head coach Flavia Siqueira, notched a 5-1 mark in the 2008 Wyoming Community College Athletic Conference Preseason Tournament last week and improved to 8-5
overall. Making the turnaround even more notable is the fact that this year's slate has been considerably more difficult than the one NWC faced during the early stages last season.
Siqueira credited the solid start to her team's work ethic and the Lady Trappers' continued ability to adapt to the speed of collegiate volleyball. NWC entered this season with a 13-player roster that included nine freshmen. Siqueira also noted team chemistry as a major factor in the early success.
"They've come a long way," Siqueira said. "A lot of that has to do with better team chemistry. In our first match of the season, you could tell some of the girls were hesitant to say something on the court. Now they are talking a lot,
and they are very vocal. That comes with getting to know one another better. Now we have one of the loudest teams out there.
"We're not the tallest or strongest team, and we have faced teams that were more powerful and faster. But having good team chemistry really helps. The girls are gaining confidence, and they are working to get better each day."
During the WCCAC Tournament, NWC opened the event by winning four consecutive matches before losing a hard-fought contest against Central Wyoming Lady Trappers rebounded and defeated Laramie County Community College to end the tournament on a winning note.
NWC and CWC both finished the tournament with one match loss. And though CWC edged the Lady Trappers in head-to-head competition, Siqueira said NWC lost fewer sets than CWC over the course of the three-day tournament. No placements were recognized following the event, but Siqueira said her squad was content with their series of strong performances. She also said there's an added bounce in the walk of Maddie Peterson and Angela Schuman, NWC's only returning players from last season. Those two helped make the best of a 2007-08 campaign that saw NWC endure a 12-34 record.
"Both of them were talking about how good it felt to beat teams that they lost to last year," Siqueira said.
NWC's recent tournament action started with a 25-22, 25-16 victory against Sheridan Thursday. Siqueira said it was a slow-paced match, but the Lady Trappers were able to serve well and break Sheridan's attack.
In their second match Thursday against Casper College, NWC dropped the first set 25-15 but came back to win straight sets by scores of 25-15 and 16- 14. The Lady Trappers, who also defeated Casper during the College of Southern Idaho's Outback Invitational, are now 2-0 vs. the Thunderbirds.
"Unlike the previous week when we played them, this match was fast," Siqueira said. "It was an intense match. We ran our offense from the middle and were successful there."
Leaders against Casper included Thabata Galvao (12 kills), Katie Gregg (12 kills), Carol Martin (19 digs) and Peterson (15 digs).
The Lady Trappers opened Friday's competition against Eastern Wyoming by winning 25-15, 25-15. Galvao and Peterson had seven kills each, and Martin added 15 digs. As a team, NWC had six aces.
NWC followed with a match against Western Wyoming Community College, a team that defeated the Lady Trappers in CSI's tournament a week earlier. This time NWC came out on top 25-19, 25-21. Gregg and Peterson helped lead the way with seven kills each, and Galvao added 13 digs.
"The girls played well as a team, and that made me very happy," Siqueira said. "We are finally understanding what it will take for this team to be successful."
The Lady Trappers' lone setback last week came Saturday against CWC. NWC opened the match with a 25-18 victory, but Siqueira said her team lost focus after that set. That translated into a 25-17 loss. In the tiebreaking set, CWC cruised to a 15-7 decision.
Siqueira said CWC's fastpaced offense had a major influence on the match's outcome. However, she also said the Lady Trappers, at times, were their own worst enemy by making costly mistakes.
In the losing effort, Peterson registered 10 digs, while Galvao finished with eight kills and 13 digs.
In their last match of the tournament, NWC faced LCCC and won 25-14, 25-12. Martin had 11 digs and 24 assists. Kayla Propes played well at outside hitter and had six kills and zero errors, according to her coach.
"We served well and were very loud," said Siqueira, who added that NWC's attack kept LCCC off balance throughout Saturday's match.
Up next: NWC (8-5) will be on the road for the third straight week when they compete in the Colby Classic Tournament in Colby, Kan. That tournament is scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday, Sept. 5-6.