The volleyball team is starting its season with a winning record. The team played in the North Carolina Central Tournament in Durham Friday, and Saturday and took three of four matches.

During Saturday’s first match against Campbell, N.C. State mustered a 3-1 win against the Camels, beating them 27-30, 30-18, 30-27 and 30-17. In the Wolfpack’s final match, it picked up a win against Loyola, winning 3-1. Sophomore Keri DeMar and freshman Megan Rehmer said they were pleased with the team’s performance.

“We did well,” DeMar said. “It’s a new team, [a] new season. I think that we’re starting to learn how each other play and I think we’re meshing well, so I think in the end, we’ll come together. We’ll just get better as the season comes along.”

The team has 10 new players — all freshmen. Rehmer said the team can make a lot of improvements.

“Having 10 freshmen, I feel like we have so much room to improve,” Rehmer said. “Even though we beat people now, I feel like we can beat even more people later on.”

Asked if emotion was a part of the team’s play during the tournament, both DeMar and Rehmer said playing with emotion was a positive during the matches.

“No one really got too upset, too down on themselves,” Rehmer said. “So I really feel like we did a really good job keeping the energy up.”

During the second game against Loyola, coach Charita Stubbs received a yellow card after disputing a call. Stubbs said there were many reasons for receiving the card.

“Sometimes, you get it because you think the officiating is so bad,” Stubbs said. “Sometimes, you get the yellow card just to get your team a little bit more energized — more on your side to get their mind off of something else.”

Despite receiving the card, Stubbs was upbeat after the call and it reflected during a timeout after it.

“I should have been hot and heated and everything, but I was just over there laughing,” Stubbs said. “I was just like, ‘yeah let’s do it’, and they all just fell out laughing because they expected me to be angry about getting a yellow card.”

Both Rehmer and DeMar disagreed with the call but felt that it motivated the team more.

“I thought it was stupid, honestly,” DeMar said. “It is what it is. I thought it was silly. Our coach is fighting for us. It’s a good thing for us.”

Stubbs knew the reason for getting the card was for trying to help the ref.

“The refs that are here officiating for this weekend are moving into the division I level,” Stubbs said.

“So in my mind, I just want to help everyone get better. Sometimes it doesn’t come out right, I’ll be the first to admit, and from making the calls for them and putting up signals for them, he was a little irritated because I made a little comment that offended him, and I wasn’t trying to offend him.”

After the weekend, Stubbs said the team still has things to work on, but she was proud of the 10 freshmen.

“I get that we missed serves at the wrong time,” Stubbs said. “I think that our blocking, as far as picking up our spots on the block, that’s something that takes time to really work with. Our ability to pass free balls, as silly as it may sound, it has to get better.”