The women’s volleyball team began its season the best way imaginable. Not only did the Wolfpack defeat the East Kentucky Colonels, the Coppin State Eagles, and the Western Carolina Catamounts, it did it in historic fashion.
State competed in the Western Carolina Tournament in Cullowhee over the weekend and never lost a set. First year head coach Bryan Bunn seems to have the team on the right track, and he also seems to have found an offensive leader in senior setter Alex Smith.
Smith took home MVP for the tournament, which was the second time in her career. She led the Pack with 14 kills in the final match as well as seven digs, two assists, and one solo block to guarantee the win.
“I was surprised and very happy that I won the MVP for the tournament,” Smith said. “But our team did really well, so that’s what makes this a great tournament. Going 3-0 for the weekend shows that we can be consistent and see that we have a winning mentality going into this season.”
Bunn’s first season with the Pack could not have started any better. Last year State won only eight games for the entire season, and now Bunn has won his first tournament.
“I really like the way [coach Bunn] runs the team,” Smith said. “He’s really calm on the sidelines. It was great to play against another team, rather than ourselves, to see that everything that he has taught us is going to help us to be successful. It felt great to be a part of his first win here at N.C. State.”
Offensively and defensively the Pack looked to junior middle blocker Margaret Salata, who had nine kills and five blocks, one of which was a solo block, in the final match of the weekend. By the end of the tournament, she was one of three State players to be named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Smith and recently transferred sophomore setter Megan Cyr.
“Getting named to the All-Tournament team was a career first for me,” Salata said. “It definitely felt good to be honored. I felt proud of myself, and it was awesome to see the fruits of our labor with our wins out
there.”
In each of the matches, the Pack won all of its sets handily. The only team that scored more than 20 points in any of the sets played was Eastern Kentucky, who scored 22 in the first set and 20 in the third and final set of the match.
“None of the games were really that close,” Smith said. “So we really felt like we were able to play our game to the highest level.”
State will return to action this weekend, as it takes part in the Indiana Tournament hosted by Indiana University. The Pack will begin play Friday against the Illinois State Redbirds in Bloomington, Indiana. The Wolfpack will also face off with Arkansas State and Indiana as part of the Indiana Tournament. Salata, a native of Buffalo Grove, Ill., will have family coming out to watch her play in the tournament.
“I personally am so excited for this weekend because my parents will get to see me play for the first time collegiately,” Salata said. “But on more of a team note, I’m excited to play some more challenging teams. Indiana should be a great team for us to see where we are.”
