Major, Volleyball take aim at Leopards

Still looking for its first win of the season, the Penn volleyball team plays its home opener tonight at the Palestra versus Lafayette. The Leopards' 0-8 record indicates how much they have been struggling in September. The Quakers (0-2) are more talented and are favored to win the game. "If we're sloppy, I have no doubt they can beat us," Penn volleyball coach Kerry Major said. "Any team can beat us. We just need to concentrate on our game." Last weekend at William & Mary and George Washington, Penn was plagued by mental errors and poor execution. "We make errors on stuff we know how to do, like pass," Major said. "Even in drills we've been beating ourselves." As a result of last weekend's play, Major has been working the team hard in practice. They have been concentrating on serving and defense, as always. In addition, Major has put special emphasis on getting middle blockers to connect with setters. Due to the Ivy League rule that mandates that practice start after August 26, the Quakers started practicing a few weeks after this weekend's foes. Thus, in attempt to catch up, this week's practice has been crucial for Penn. "We had the best practice we've ever had [Tuesday]," Major said. Penn travels to LaSalle (7-1) Saturday for its second match of the weekend. LaSalle should prove to be a tougher opponent than Lafayette, although Penn soundly defeated the Explorers 3-0 last year. "I think that just because we beat them last year doesn't mean we will take them any lighter this year," junior captain K.C. Potter said. Explorers head coach Jason Klotkowski is in the midst of his third season at LaSalle. Major said that during his tenure, he has implemented a system that revolves around "scrappy and defensive" play. After three years in the system, the players have apparently grown accustomed to Klotkowski's coaching methods, and as a result, the Explorers got off to a great start. Major said LaSalle's success is not derived from its talent, but from its teamwork, which is a huge factor in volleyball. Although this weekend's games are non-conference matches, they could provide a positive and necessary boost for Penn. Both Potter and Major emphasized the importance of getting the first win of the season for the team's confidence. Moreover, Penn is looking forward to Ivy League competition, when the Quakers play teams that have practiced as much -- or as little -- as they have. The Red and Blue begins Ivy League play at arch-rival Princeton October 6. However, this weekend's competition against Lafayette and LaSalle is not just about winning. More importantly, it's about playing error-free volleyball.

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