photo by Evan Schall
Sophomore outside hitter Shiloh Simonson on the attack in a home match last fall. The women’s volleyball team will have their home opener on Sep. 5.

The score was 15-6 in game four with the Point Park volleyball team 10 points away from winning its second match of the season.

It was then that Montreat College was able to come back and tie the match after a 25-23 game four victory.

Shiloh Simonson noted that the Pioneers needed to rebound quickly and had to do so after a loss of team chemistry.

“The fourth game was really long and everyone was tired,” Simonson said. “In our huddle, we talked about how we needed to dig deep and play with heart, and that’s exactly what we did to pull out the match.”

Point Park won 10 consecutive points to take the game 15-7 and emerge victorious as part of a 2-2 weekend. 

Prior to the season, the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) poll was released, and the Pioneers placed second behind last season’s conference champion Asbury (Ky.).

Starting Aug. 11, the team practiced twice a day in preparation for the season and according to sophomore Nikki Inquartano, the results were very positive.

“I’ve never been on a team so focused on one goal, which is to win the conference and go to nationals,” Inquartano said. “Everyone is 100 percent committed in the gym and out of it.” 

Not only are the players looking forward to the season but are feeding off their coach, Mike Bruno, who is entering his 10th season with the Pioneers and 15th overall.

“He’s so excited and I really think that’s why the team is excited too,” Inquartano said. “When you see both coaches’ faces light up when you get that block in practice that you thought no one saw, they acknowledge it but also take the time to show you how to be better. It’s more exciting this year.” 

After two weeks of practices, Point Park made the over seven hour bus ride to Montreat, N.C. for the Volley in the Mountains Tournament where it played four matches over the course of two days.

The first match was Friday against Webber International. A four game Pioneer victory [25-18, 22-25, 25-17, 25-14] was the result.

“That was fun to play,” Simonson said. “It was the first time we were officially playing as a team, so we had our rough patches, but ultimately I think we grew from that match.”

Simonson had 15 kills and 12 digs and in her second season with the team has the responsibility of being a six-rotation player, meaning she is all around the court.

“It can be exhausting to play all the way around, but I have to stay mentally strong for my team and push myself to finish every game with the same energy I started with,” Simonson said. 

In addition to this, freshman outside hitter Kristi Chenarides added 13 kills in her first college match and setter Emily Meng had 36 assists.

In the second match, the Pioneers defeated tournament host Montreat College 25-18, 20-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-7, to end the first day of tournament play undefeated.  

Freshman right side hitter Ashley Taylor led the Pioneers in kills with 13. 

Taylor is one of three freshmen that are in the starting lineup and is making the adjustment to the faster paced college game.

“You can’t let up one bit or it honestly can slip right through your fingers,” Taylor said. “I learned that my team has the most heart and most respect and passion that any other team does. I already knew coming out of preseason that my team was amazing but this weekend truly proved it to me.” 

Saturday’s action resulted in straight set losses to tournament champion Coastal Georgia College  and Lindsey Wilson University, a team that was ranked 10th in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) preseason poll. 

Freshman Libero Tabea Dalliard was a top defensive contributor and combined for 26 digs in the two matches of the weekend. 

Taylor said  the losses were a beneficial learning experience.

“I love to win, I’m a huge competitor, but losing those matches showed me personally what I need to work on and us as a whole what we need to work on this week in practice so we can come back and beat those teams this upcoming weekend,” Taylor said. 

Up next for Point Park is the St. Xavier/Trinity Christian Tournament in Palo Heights, Illinois. The Pioneers will have a rematch with Lindsey Wilson Friday and also face St. Francis, St. Ambrose and host Trinity Christian through the weekend. 

“We are so excited to get back on the court and tweak some of the mistakes that we made this weekend,” Inquartano said. “We’re hungry for that win over Lindsey Wilson.”