Volleyball team getting adjusted

Last season, the University of Bridgeport women's volleyball team went 25-5 and advanced all the way to the NCAA tournament regionals, before falling to Dowling 3-0.

This year's team looks quite different, as only six of fifteen players from last year's team returned for this year. The team also features five freshmen.

"It is two different teams; last year, we had some power, this year we have more quickness on the defense," Head Coach Leo Uzcategui said.

Despite the turnover, the team has started out well this season, going 5-1 in their first six games.

Uzcategui said the new players are working very hard, and that they understand what they want. One player in specific he mentioned was Biljana Savic, a freshman from Serbia.

"I think that she can become one of the best players in this conference and even the region as an outside hitter," he said.

Uzcategui also said the veterans on the team like Taylor McBeth and setter Tamara Leite have been helping the new players to adjust. Senior Carolina Lobato said the team gets along "real well".

Lobato has had to make some of her own adjustments though. Playing primarily as a defensive specialist last year, she's switched over to libero this season, which places more responsibility on her.

"As a libero, I am the one that's always going out and coming back to the court so I can talk to coach (Uzcategui)," Lobato said. "I get to pass the message from coach (Uzcategui) to the girls, and I need to improve on my communication."

One of the concepts Uzcategui has been preaching during practices is stepping up and making your own plays.

"Everything that happens in volleyball, it doesn't depend on the other team, it depends on you," he said. "I don't care how strong the other team is; if I'm in the right place, I can stop them."

Uzcategui, who is in his third year as coach of the team, said he has not adjusted his coaching style much, and that he puts the onus on the players to perform and for them to set their own goals.

In the end, expectations are high for the team this year.

"I think we have a great chance to be the champions this year, not just the conference champions, but the regional champions," Lobato said.

The team continues its ECC road trip with a trip to Mercy tomorrow, and then to Dowling on October 4^th before returning home two days later to play New Haven in Hubbell Gymnasium at 7 p.m.