By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information
Friday marks the start of the fifth season of volleyball at Trinity Valley Community College.
The Lady Cardinals are scheduled to play in the two-day Brookhaven College Tournament in Farmers Branch.
Friday, they are scheduled to play Frank Phillips at 9 a.m. and Richland College at 2 p.m. Saturday, they take on Hill College at 11:30 a.m. and will play again at either 2 or4:30 p.m.
Coach Tosha Spain’s squad is coming off the best season in school history. The Lady Cardinals went 21-15, achieved their first-ever national ranking, qualified for the regional tournament for a second straight year and posted their first-ever postseason win.
“The girls have definitely put in the work we are just excited to get uniforms on and put all of our hard work into action,” Spain said. “They are a great great group that mesh well on and off the court. It is exciting to watch them when they click.”
Four sophomores return from the 2013 squad: Alexis Bongiorno (Rains), Amelie Guinci (France), Brittney Griffith (Archer City) and Ashlyn Caldwell (Cypress Creek). Guinci, who is in her third year at the college after having received a medical redshirt as a freshman, was named the conference’s Libero of the Year last season.
The returning sophomores are joined by transfer sophomores Hannah Jackson (Tarkington) and Crystal Hembree (College Station). Both played at Blinn College last season. Blinn won the 2103 NJCAA championship.
Newcomers to Spain’s first 15-player roster are freshmen Mackenzie Tate (Carthage), Sommer Lee (Crandall), Erica Lopez (Brownsville), Bruna Santos (Brazil), Alyssa Auringer (Mount Vernon), Hannah Nicholas (Arlington, Morgan Wilkerson (Van), Priscila Castro (Brazil) and Mikayla Adams (Mabank).
Spain carries a 72-65 record into her fifth season as Lady Cardinal head coach. She was 65-48 as head coach at Athens High School. Also on her staff are assistant coach Lisa MacAllister (third year) and coaching assistant Sara Cruz (first year). Cruz played for the Lady Cardinals the past two seasons.
The Lady Cardinals’ home opener is scheduled Wednesday, Sept. 10 against Tyler.