A Slow Start, But Looking For Team Chemistry To Raise Them Up
After an impressive 4-0 start in the preseason, Boxer Volleyball seemed to begin a new chapter. Last season, with a record of 8-12, the Boxers did not perform as well as they wanted—and they have been looking to improve their record and move up in the conference standings.
With a majority of upperclassmen returning, they have a foundation of experience. Senior, and setter for the Boxers, Shaianne Cambra earned her 1,000th career assist during preseason play.
“Going into the season with all the returners is exciting,: Cambra joyfully said. “We are more prepared for what we face during the season and already have dynamics on the court. We spend three to four years getting to work with each other, which builds a lot of trust.”
Another senior, 5’11 middle blocker Charlotte Powell, also has been an essential piece to the program for the last four years—and hopes to contribute to the team’s upswing. Known for her unflagging optimistic attitude, a smile that rarely leaves her face, Powell has been working to pull together a team dynamic that will lead to wins.
“As seniors,” she said, “we try to build a positive atmosphere that the team will carry on in the future,” explained Powell.
But it isn’t only the upperclass students; there are also returners like Mara Murray, who was named to the second-team all-conference last season and is currently off to a fast start, leading the team in kills.
Even so, after a promising pre-season, conference play has been sobering: They fell short 1-3 against George Fox in their home opener, and 0-3 on the road against Willamette. Even so, even so, there was a silver lining, as the team proved they know how to battle by only falling short of each set’s winning point.
In the conference home opener against George Fox on Friday, September 16, it seemed as if Pacific was just one small step behind the Bruins. Sure, they lost 3-1, but statistically the matches were closer: The Boxers had 56 points compared to the Bruins’ 63; 45 assists to their 46; 77 digs to their 80, and 47 kills to their 51. — Avari Schumacher
Major: Sports Communications
Hometown: Stayton, OR
Hobbies: Watching baseball, thrifting, skincare, hanging out with my pets, snowboarding, and going on walks.
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