After a rather disappointing finish to last season, in which the team was unable to make the NCCA regional tournament, the softball team is ready to begin the season with hopes of making the return to regional play. The journey back to regionals, which began last week, continues this weekend when the team travels to the Cathedral City Classic tournament in California. The N.C. State women will play in five games, three of which are against the University of California, UCLA and Massachusetts, all of which are nationally ranked.

“This weekend’s games are a pretty good test to see where we are at, because we are going to play some good teams that are right up there with Oklahoma,” sophomore Alyssa Ishibashi said. “It is going to be a tough, but important weekend for us.”

The Pack will be going into the tournament with momentum already on their side after winning two out of three games in the Marriot Houston Classic a week earlier. During the Classic, the team notched a 2-1 win against then No. 4 Oklahoma University.

“We are looking really good this year especially in the games against Oklahoma and Indiana,” sophomore catcher Alyssa Allbritten said. “This weekend can be a really big test for us, we have the hardest schedule we have ever had and it’s going to be a big test.”

With the tournament this weekend full of so many high-ranked teams, the competition should provide a good opportunity for the team to gauge just how good they are and also receive valuable experience leading up to ACC play.

“It’s a big tournament. We play teams like Cal and UCLA,” senior Mendy McKenzie said. “It will really help us with experience playing good, ranked teams, and [it] will just really help us to get ready for ACC play.”

The team remains focused on their main goal this year, however, which is to make it into the NCAA regional tournament that they just missed the year before.

“I know last year watching regionals and watching the selection show, we didn’t make it and it was one of our goals this year to not sit in front of the TV and watch our names not be on it,” McKenzie said. “That was one of our main goals this year to make it to regionals, and to do whatever it takes to get there.”

With only two seniors on the team, McKenzie and Mackenzie Mangum, the team is predicted to finish fourth in the ACC, however the team feels it can finish much higher, even with such a young team.

“Our expectations are definitely not to finish fourth,” Allbritten said. “We believe we are going to finish top two if not one.”

Allbritten also believes that the team’s home-field advantage will provide a boost when State hosts the event May 8 through 10.

“We also have a big advantage having ACC’s at home this year,” Allbritten said. “Having all our fans here and knowing our field, I really think in the tournament we will be really good.”