mens volleyball

Sorry everyone for taking so long, but as you all know things tend to get quite busy around here fairly easily.
In the mean time, we caught up with Junior Mark DeVivo in an effort to get the inside scoop on this year's volleyball team. *Note, this interview has been sitting around for a while and we just haven't had the change to put it up. Here we go:

WR: Thanks for sitting down with us Mark. First things first: how dose the team look this year in terms of returning players?
MD: We've lost a lot of seniors. Much of our starting rotation last year was comprised of the now-graduated senior class. Specifically we lost Middle hitter Taylor Gilmore, starting setter Steve Schumacher, starting outside hitter Chris Benneman, and starting middle Ben Cratsley.

WR: And the guys returning?
MD: Returning our starting outside Mike "Chubbs" Cratsley, starting middle Timon Willits, setter Jake Choby, setter/weak side Kyle Reu, and myself at Libero.

WR: How about the freshman showing? Did any young guns come out for the team?
MD: We had two freshman come out as well as two juniors. This brings our total to 15 for the fall season. We might be able to get a member of the basketball team after that season has concluded...

WR: Do you have any key matchups for this season?
MD: All of the teams we play will be pretty good, meaning we need to play our best in every match. But our toughest opponents will be Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Robert Morris University, and Duquesne University. We have the possibility of playing Messiah College. They are consistently ranked in the top two teams in the nation.

WR: That said, what are your practices like? How have they been this year?
MD: Practices have gone very well. We do need to keep the focus, given our tough schedule. We usually practice 3 times per week, 2 hours per practice.

WR: Sounds great! I'll conclude with this: what are your expectations for the season?
MD: We hope to be able to 3-peat at the tournament at IUP this year. We've played well at each of the last two. We also hope to walk away as POVL (our athletic section) champs. We've never been able to do this. We have come close the past two years with a second place finish in each.

Mark expressed to us that he wants a great attendance at both the guy's and the girls games this year. Check the site for updates for campus sporting events.