The Geneseo women’s volleyball team began its season on an extremely high note. In their first tournament, the Knights went 3-0 and swept all three matches at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania on Aug. 29-30.The team defeated Cazenovia College, the Rochester Institute of Technology and host Misericordia University in 3-0 matches across the board to dominate the tournament. Coach Jennifer Salmon believes this is the kind of start the team needs after struggling through the 2013 season and finishing with a 13-19 record. “This [team] is the most committed, the most disciplined, the most positive team I’ve ever had,” Salmon said. “We have the most depth I’ve ever had in each position.” Salmon also cites strong leadership and experience as reasons for the Knights' early success. The Knights roster includes 14 returners, including six juniors and eight sophomores. Salmon said that this past winter, the expected standards of the team were set high. “[We want to establish] who we are going to be this season and show everyone what Geneseo volleyball is all about,” she said. That mentality has been displayed clearly in their matches so far and Salmon is eager to see what is next for her team. While all players contribute to the team’s success, Salmon recognized sophomore middle-blocker Courtney Cleary for her level of improvement and impact on the team. Cleary’s experience cannot be understated. Although she is only a sophomore, she played in 30 of Geneseo’s 32 matches last season. Salmon also praised junior outside-hitter Lizzy Morton for her success at the tournament. Morton had a team-high eight kills and three service aces against RIT and nine kills against Misericordia. Salmon is thrilled with the team’s current level of performance and work ethic. “Everything is falling into place,” she said. The team hopes to continue its success in its farthest tournament from home of the season Friday, Sept. 5 at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio.
