It鈥檚 already become clear five games into the 2016-17 AUS conference regular season that the Tigers women鈥檚 volleyball team will be a force to be reckoned with once more.
The four-time defending conference champions returned 10 players from last year鈥檚 squad, and their experience has already paid dividends as 麻豆传媒 is the only undefeated team in the standings after the AUS tournament held this past weekend.
鈥淥ne of our goals is to obviously win the AUS and we know that鈥檚 going to be a big challenge,鈥� says head coach Rick Scott. 鈥淓very year the conference is getting stronger and there鈥檚 several good teams. Ultimately, our goal is to be a force on the national stage and do well at the national championship.鈥�
The Tigers are powered by a strong front court that has imposed its will on opponents early and often this season on the attack.
Outside hitter outside hitter Mieke DuMont, a member of the 2014-15 AUS all-rookie team is currently fourth in the conference in kills, with 48, while Anna Dunn-Suen, a 2015-16 AUS first team all-star in her fourth year of eligibility has 30.
The Tigers have also been paced by their versatile setters 鈥� fifth-year Abby Czenze and second-year Courtney Baker.
Czenze is tops in the conference in total assists with 168, while Baker is second overall in total points, with 66, and has amassed 57 kills so far this season.
Defensively, fifth-year libero Marisa Mota, and second-year middle hitters Lauren Koskowich and Victoria Haworth have provided quality play for a team that has lost just two sets thus far.
Mota has displayed consistent leadership and work ethic, with a conference-leading 115 digs, while Koskowich and Haworth have recorded five and four solo blocks, respectively.
Head coach Rick Scott has been pleased with his teams play early on, touching on how well-rounded the roster is.
鈥淥ur biggest strength is that we鈥檙e very balanced, and we have some depth at different positions which can really help over a long haul with injuries and even just in matches to make some changes if we need to adjust,鈥� says Scott.
In terms of recruitment, the Tigers focused on bringing in a few different impact middle hitters in Hannah Aldcorn from Calgary and Cassandra Bagnell from Vancouver.
Aldcorn has already shown flashes of what鈥檚 to come in the future, with a .333 hitting percentage in three total games played.
With a well-rounded roster and an impressive start to the year, Scott is optimistic about his team鈥檚 ability to make an impact on the national stage, however he also acknowledges that taking the next step isn鈥檛 going to come easy.
聽鈥淲e鈥檝e been to nationals the last four years and we have a lot of people that have experience and that鈥檚 another goal of ours, is to achieve that [return to nationals] and we know it鈥檚 going to take a lot of work and we鈥檙e going to have to play well, but we believe in the team that we have and that we can do something special.鈥�