The Collegian

Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson Senior Melissa Bartlett spikes over a Spring Arbor defender in Hillsdale's 3-0 win at home. Bartlett was named GLIAC South Player of the Week.

After finishing their 2006 regular season with a perfect 27-0 record, the Hillsdale volleyball team is off to another great start.

The Chargers started off this season Aug. 24 at the Florida Southern Tournament and returned home with 4-1 record.

"We have a good chemistry this year," senior Megan Howard said.

Most recently, the team traveled to Findlay, Ohio, for the University of Findley Tournament on Aug. 31. The Chargers went 3-1 with 3-0 victories over conference foe Tiffin University, Bellarmine University and ninth-ranked University of North Alabama. Hillsdale's only blemish over the weekend was a 3-2 heart breaker to seventh-ranked Truman State Friday night.

"We started out and played well in Florida, but we couldn't quite get our flow together," Howard said. "Against Spring Arbor, we were able to put them away, and in Findlay, we began to find our level of play and see that we can be that good."

Also at the Findlay tournament, Howard earned Most Outstanding Libero honors, and senior Melissa Bartlett was named to the All-Tournament Team.

On Aug. 28, the Chargers played their home opener of the season, dominating visiting Spring Arbor University 3-0. Hillsdale never trailed the entire match.

Hillsdale's season began on August 24 when they traveled to Lakeland, Fla., for the Florida Southern Tournament. The Charger's kicked off the tournament by defeating Abeline Christian 3-1, before dropping their first regular season match since Oct. 22, 2005, to the number five team in the nation University of Southern Florida 3-0.

The team rebounded quickly, winning their last two matches of the tournament over Metro State and Colorado Springs College 3-0 and 3-0.

"We've played well, even in our losses," head coach Chris Gravel said. "We're getting better and better every day, and we're already playing pretty well. But we're still looking to improve."

With the beginning of a new season, the Chargers also welcome four new freshmen to the team for the 2007 season, all from Michigan: Amanda Bigney from Cedar Springs, Sydney Dow from nearby Jonesville, Rachel VanderWall from East Kentwood, and Amanda Geelhoed from Grand Rapids.

"They are doing great," Gravel said. "Two of them are in the starting rotation, and they are fitting right in."

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