For the first time in school history, the Roadrunner volleyball team will compete in a national championship tournament -- and head coach Rebecca Pierson is clearly happy with her club's successes and progress this Fall.
Yes, the Runners, who will meet Queensborough Community College Thursday morning in an 11 am match during the VB Division III National Championships in Rochester, MN, enjoyed a superb 17-3 season. They captured the school's first-ever Region 19 title with a 3-0 win over Harrisburg Area CC on October 30th to qualify for Nationals.
But it was the team's response to a late-season downturn that has impressed Pierson the most. That's when the Runners dropped 3 of their final 5 matches following a 13-0 start to finish the regular season at 15-3. Clearly, there were concerns entering the post-season tournament -- but these concerns have been wiped away thanks to playoff wins over Montgomery County (PA) and Harrisburg Area CC.
Link to watch live: www.njcaa.org/network
"We had to adjust our lineup, and even change some of our work habits," commented Pierson, a sixth year coach. "The players got the message. They were not going to earn a spot in Nationals without stepping up, and sometimes that includes changes along the way. Our coaching staff is very proud of their responses to making these improvements."
RCSJ has relied on a number of top-flight players, including veterans Katie Burrichter (libero), Summer Wroniuk (libero), Dominique Marcano (setter), Katelyn Boysen (MB), and Devon Calhoun (outside hitter) among others.
The No. 8 seed Runners will meet No. 9 Queensborough Thursday in an opening round match, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 Rock Valley.
"We played Queensborough a couple of years ago, and our programs are very similar," said Pierson. "We expect a tough match -- there's no doubt it could go either way, so we need to play at our highest level."
Watch for highlights here throughout the tournament.
NJCAA Division III National Championships
@Rochester Regional Sports Center
Rochester, MN
Nov. 11-13, 2021
Click Here for complete tournament brackets
Watch Live at NJCAA TV: www.njcaa.org/network
Schedule of Matches
Thursday, November 11 - Next Match of the Day Depends on Outcome
11 am
No. 9 Queensborough vs. No. 8 RCSJ Gloucester winner to play #1 Rock Valley CC
No. 10 Finger Lakes vs. No. 7 Raritan Valley
1:00 pm
No. 12 Brookhaven vs. No. 5 SUNY Broome
No. 11 Rockland vs. No. 6 Butler County