Women's Volleyball
2007 Season Recap
In spite of a 6-18 (1-8 NEWMAC) record, the Clark University women’s volleyball team grew stronger as a unit throughout the 2007 campaign. First-year head coach Mickey Cahoon stepped in for his collegiate debut and helped change the level of play for the Cougar squad. Cahoon’s efforts were illuminated in Clark’s two of first three sweeps over Husson, 3-0 and Anna Maria, 3-0, mid-season shutouts over Mitchell College (3-0) and Newbury College (3-0), and a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Worcester State College (3-2). Clark hit a high note with their big win over Mt. Holyoke College (3-2), its lone NEWMAC win of the season, on Senior Night at the Kneller Athletic Center.
Individual highlights included sophomore Emily Visone’s new season record of 4.82 digs per game, breaking her previous mark of 4.35. Finishing sixth in the NEWMAC in digs (4.82), Visone, along with teammates Sarah Hunsucker ‘08 and Kylie Kutney ‘10 were ranked among the top-10 in the NEWMAC in kills (2.99) and aces (.70), respectively. Hunsucker, who also finished seventh in the league in points (3.78), was selected to play in the New England Women’s Volleyball Association (NEWVA) Senior Classic match.
2007 Season Outlook
According to first-year head coach Mickey Cahoon, the Clark University women’s volleyball team is set for a season of change. With a revamped roster and system, the Cougars hope to improve upon last year’s 12-13 record (4-4 NEWMAC) – their best campaign since 2001. Although Clark graduated four seniors, including both starting setters and a NEWVA Senior All-Star, Cahoon is optimistic that the eight returnees and a pair of promising recruits can develop into a competitive team.
“The major theme so far has been change,” said Cahoon, a first-time collegiate head coach. “However, I have been really impressed with the team’s attitude – especially their willingness to adjust to new positions.”
While the Cougars will miss Margo Labadorf, Sarah Hunsucker and Karleen Porcena should have no problem filling the void in the middle. Hunsucker, the lone senior captain, topped the team in blocks (23 BS; 30 BA) and finished second in kills per game (2.54) last season, while Porcena (2.12 k/g), a two-year starter, hopes to make the successful transition from outside to middle this year. Senior transfer Pamela Taylor will also be in the rotation.
Sophomore Emily Visone, a former defensive specialist who set a new season mark for digs in a game (4.35) last year, will team up with sophomore Liz Magier, a converted middle-hitter, to give the Cougars a solid outside-hitting tandem. After seeing limited playing time last season, sophomore Brittany Meadows will move into a starting role on the right-side this year. Senior Kate Head, another right-side option, should give Clark much-needed size on the front row.
Cahoon, who must fill the vacancies left by setters Tiffany Ong and Larissa Christensen, is confident that sophomore Kylie Kutney and newcomer Emily Corbett, a former two-year varsity player at Strath Haven (Pa.) High, can step right in and make an immediate contribution. “One of the challenges we face is that we have little experience in that position,” Cahoon said. “However, both players are working extremely hard and are quick studies at that spot.”
Clark should also be bolstered by the addition of first-year Lisa Taylor – penciled in as the starting libero.
In a league as strong as the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), Cahoon feels that defense will be the name of the game. “When you combine our work-ethic and athleticism on the back row, we certainly have the ability to be a factor on the defensive end. At the same time, we’re young, so we will take some hits; but our goal is to work towards being a competitive team.”
About Clark Volleyball
Clark offers a competitive Division III volleyball program. Players compete in 25-30 matches during the season against some of the top Division III schools in New England. The team participates in several invitational tournaments and more than 15 dual matches over the course of the season. The volleyball season begins in late August and ends in mid-November. Practices generally consist of two-hour sessions in the afternoon or evening. Players participate in an off-season strength-training program and a nontraditional season beginning in March and running through the spring.
The 2004 Clark volleyball team kicked off the season with a weekend trip to Philadelphia for the Haverford Tournament. The Cougars got off to a strong start, winning three out of four matches; and junior captain Kara Scimeca was named to the All-Tournament Team. The season ended on a high note after the Cougars beat Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Babson College, and Mount Holyoke College, qualifying for the NEWMAC Tournament as the seventh seed. The Cougars lost in the quarterfinals to #2 seed, MIT, and finished the season 8-19.
Members of the volleyball team share their enthusiasm for this sport, serving as mentors and teaching volleyball fundamentals to young girls. In 2001, the team received the Community Partnership Award from Girls, Inc., a prominent national organization that encourages girls to be “strong, smart and bold.”
On the court, in the community and in the classroom—this team shines. The Cougars were one of 43 NCAA Division III teams that received the 2005 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, which honors teams who achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher. This was the third time in the last four years that the Cougars were honored with this award, also receiving it in 2003 and 2002. In 2002 the Cougars ranked 5th out of 32 award recipients with an impressive 3.52 team GPA.
For more information about Clark University Women's Volleyball, please contact head coach
Mickey Cahoon at (508) 793-7260 or by email at mCahoon@clarku.edu
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