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by Danny Holland - Thge Metropolitan
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| Senior Andrea Highstreet, right, and senior
Devon Herron left, dive for a serve in the Sept.19 game against
Colorado School of Mines |
The fourth-ranked Roadrunners are preparing to play top-ranking teams
at home in November by focusing on their attitude.
The team members’ determination and confidence, combined with
their strong ball control, will keep them on top, said Metro players.
Senior setter Angela Golesh says the team’s major advantages
this season are strong ball control and determination; the team’s
“will to win.”
This is Golesh’s second season with the team; she started playing
with the Roadrunners last year after transferring from the University
of South Dakota.
Freshman outside hitter Cristina Wamsley says the biggest disadvantage
for the team is that it is the shortest team in the division. Wamsley
says an advantage for the team, however, is the compatibility between
newer and veteran players.
In November, the Roadrunners will be playing at home against Fort
Hays and Nebraska-Kearney, two top teams in the division. Metro lost
to Nebraska-Kearney last time on the road. Golesh said playing games
on “your own turf” can make a difference.
“There’s an attitude about defending your home court,”
she said. “At home, it’s always nice to have the fans’
support. We feed off that.”
Wamsley says that whether the game is on the road or at home is not
a big factor.
She says fan feedback is nice at times, but the players ultimately
rely on themselves.
“We prepare for any game the same,” Wamsley said. “We
use our own momentum to help us through (each game).”
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‘We’re
much closer than last year.’
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-Angela Golesh senior setter
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While Metro is currently first in the RMAC, Nebraska-Kearney is ranked
first in the region.
If the Roadrunners beat them this time around, Metro can host the
conference tournament and regional competition. Golesh says a good
attitude and focused play will get them the win.
“If we all do our own parts . . . if each of us brings our own
game, we’ll do well,” Golesh said. “It’ll
be a battle.”
Wamsley says focus and eliminating mistakes made in previous games
are key elements to giving the team the edge they need to stay above
the net and defeat the top teams in the RMAC.
“If we fix the little things, we’ll be fine,” Wamsley
said.
A plus for the Roadrunners, Golesh says, is that they have a strong
player-to-player relationship.
“We’re a very close team,” Golesh says. “We’re
much closer than last year. We’re on the same page.”
In order to stay on top throughout the remaining RMAC games, Golesh
says the team needs to add confidence to its ball control.
Golesh says “playing with confidence and playing with purpose”
is essential to winning.
Wamsley said being consistent is a priority for keeping the team’s
winning streak alive.
Wamsley says focusing on and preparing for one team at a time and
not jumping ahead to the prize at the end will give them the consistency
they need.
The Roadrunners beat the Adams State Grizzlies Thursday, Oct. 16,
3-2, and the Fort Lewis Skyhawks Friday, Oct. 17, 3-0, giving the
team eight consecutive wins.
Senior outside hitter Jessy Roy had 28 kills and 22 digs in the game
against Adams State, and sophomore libero/setter Andrea Highstreet
had 17 digs in the game against Fort Lewis.
The Roadrunners are 12-1 in the RMAC, and 18-4 overall.
Tomorrow, the Roadrunners play at the Regis Rangers (10-12, 8-5 RMAC),
which is the second of four consecutive road games.
Metro ends its regular season with games at home against Nebraska-Kearney
and Fort Hays State Nov. 7 and 8. The RMAC Tournament begins Nov.
13.
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