Vball takes momentum to California

The members of the Penn volleyball team probably had many things to remember when it packed last night for their weekend in sunny California. The Quakers' momentum should have been at the top of the list. Penn (11-3) will journey across the nation during its fall break for matches at California State (in Sacramento) tomorrow, St. Mary's on Monday and San Francisco on Tuesday. The team will take a three-match winning streak with it to the west coast, as Penn is coming off wins at home against Ivy rivals Harvard, Dartmouth and Princeton. "Everyone is looking forward to the weekend a lot," sophomore middle blocker Carol Cit Kovic said. "Both in terms of playing some winning volleyball and in terms of going to California." The basic feeling among the Quakers is that if they keep playing the way they have been, things should go well on the court in all three matches. "They'll definitely be tough matches – all of them," Penn senior captain Devon Austin said. "But hopefully we'll be able to keep doing what we've been doing and get some wins. "Every year we go somewhere for fall break and play some good teams and we've never been able to come back with a win. I think we've got the talent and determination to do it this time. We just have to keep playing well." Penn has been playing well for several reasons, but none are more important than the teamwork and togetherness that have become more evident with each and every point the team plays. Early in the season, communication was a problem for the Quakers. Now it's their strength. "With a young team it will always take some time for things to gel, and we do have several freshmen and sophomores," Austin said. "But it has gotten better for us every game this year." On a more fundamental level, the Quakers have simply outplayed the majority of their opponents lately. And this has helped Penn's confidence reach new heights. "I think our confidence and teamwork have been excellent," Cit Kovic said. "Everyone is playing together – we enjoy playing as a team and we are definitely going out to win this weekend." "Right now everyone on this team is giving 110 percent," Austin explained. "People are serving for 10 points in a row, people are hitting and blocking well all the time. It's had an effect on everyone. People on this team are playing better volleyball than I've ever seen them play." This weekend will also be a chance for the Quakers to get in some competition against non-Ivy opponents – and they are looking forward to the change. "It will be nice to get some fresh faces across the net this weekend," Cit Kovic said. "The Princeton match was a letdown because Princeton didn't really show up, so we may be able to get some exciting matches in California." And if they remembered to pack their momentum, the Quakers very well may have to make room for some wins when they pack for the trip back to Philadelphia next week.