Lady Flames gearing up for GSC volleyball tournament
Courtesy of LeeUFlames
The Lady Flames volleyball is now in postseason mode.
With the Gulf South Conference (GSC) tournament fast approaching, certain buzz is moving throughout the team. They believe they can make some noise moving forward.
Senior Silvia Sartori said this tournament is all or nothing, and this win-or-go mindset will propel them to new heights.
“We are going into this conference tournament with the the mentality of winning it all,” Sartori said. “We know that we are capable of doing it. That was our goal from the beginning of the season and we will play the hardest to make that happen.”
The Lady Flames were the third team to secure a spot in the tournament, behind second place West Alabama (10-2) and first place West Florida (10-1). With such tough competition, it won’t be an easy stroll to the championship game by any stretch.
Hanna Matthews said she is convinced the Lady Flames can dominate this tournament if they play within themselves and focus on improving every day, even as the postseason approaches.
“Preparing has been focused on us. We know our opponents, so it’s important to focus on our side of the net as we get better skill-wise and mentally, as well,” Matthews said. “I’m super excited to experience the tournament with this 2018 team. We are never going to have to this group of girls again. I love this team, and the potential is through the roof.”
As Matthews said, another key the Lady Flames will have to rely on is their unity. It has been a tough stretch of games, but senior Makayla Beebe said the energy from each other is going to take them over the top and get the job done.
“We are excited, and we are ready. We’ve played a tough schedule this year, but it has prepared us mentally and physically,” Beebe said. “The energy in the gym and around the girls is exciting. These girls are my sisters, and we are ready to take on the postseason together.”
The next game the team is preparing for is the annual Volley For a Cure match in support of the Mary Ellen Locher Foundation. This special charity match will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26, in the Walker Arena.
While there are still a few games left in the regular season, the Lady Flames are ready for a shot at the title.
