Pioneers Poised for Lone Star State Showdown
11/30/2021 4:07:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Sacred Heart travels to Texas for Thursday's NCAA Tournament game.
As Rob Machan and his Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team heads to Austin, Texas to face off with the University of Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, the program's second tournament appearance in the past three seasons continues one of the most successful stretches in program history.
After its championship win against Bryant on Nov. 20, the senior class, led by four-time Northeast Conference Setter of the Year Sarah Ciszek, conclude their Pioneer careers with a trio of conference titles.
"That was always our dream. Our freshman year we got to the finals and lost. Since that moment, we never wanted to go back to that spot ever again," Ciszek said. "We're proud of what we have become, and we want to create a legacy for the teams after us."
Sacred Heart enters the tournament with a 19-9 overall record - 11-3 in conference play - after defeating LIU and Bryant to win the tournament title. Machan realizes his team will have its hands full with the second-ranked team in the country, but looks forward to the challenge.
"We're a good neutral site team. Some teams are better on the road than they are at home, but we're equally as good anywhere," Machan said. "I think that performance gives us a chance to play at a high level. Texas is a different level; I think they are the favorite to win the whole thing. I think we're positioned well to put on a good performance."
For Sacred Heart's upperclassmen, this season's trip to the NCAA Tournament is not an entirely new experience. Two seasons ago, the Pioneers sat in a similar spot before falling to Baylor in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The upperclassmen's experience helps guide their teammates who are going through the process for the first time.
"It's reassuring because we know they have that experience," graduate student Olivia Fairchild said. "We have people on our team who have been calm and have been there before. That energy spreads throughout the team and helps us get focused."
Fairchild, who transferred to Sacred Heart from Fordham prior to the 2020 season, called winning the conference title this season more exciting than a sigh of relief. She added while the stakes are higher, the team is viewing it as just another volleyball match.
While elements such as the atmosphere, size, and physicality will be amplified in the NCAA Tournament, Machan relies on his experience and preparation to get his team ready for the challenge.
"I think it helps the team that we have experienced players in this situation," Machan said. "I've been to the tournament a few times and we have players who have been there before as well. It's trying to keep the whole event slow and not let it rush by you. We want to make sure we are taking the game point-by-point and not letting the game rush by you."
After its championship win against Bryant on Nov. 20, the senior class, led by four-time Northeast Conference Setter of the Year Sarah Ciszek, conclude their Pioneer careers with a trio of conference titles.
"That was always our dream. Our freshman year we got to the finals and lost. Since that moment, we never wanted to go back to that spot ever again," Ciszek said. "We're proud of what we have become, and we want to create a legacy for the teams after us."
Sacred Heart enters the tournament with a 19-9 overall record - 11-3 in conference play - after defeating LIU and Bryant to win the tournament title. Machan realizes his team will have its hands full with the second-ranked team in the country, but looks forward to the challenge.
"We're a good neutral site team. Some teams are better on the road than they are at home, but we're equally as good anywhere," Machan said. "I think that performance gives us a chance to play at a high level. Texas is a different level; I think they are the favorite to win the whole thing. I think we're positioned well to put on a good performance."
For Sacred Heart's upperclassmen, this season's trip to the NCAA Tournament is not an entirely new experience. Two seasons ago, the Pioneers sat in a similar spot before falling to Baylor in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The upperclassmen's experience helps guide their teammates who are going through the process for the first time.
"It's reassuring because we know they have that experience," graduate student Olivia Fairchild said. "We have people on our team who have been calm and have been there before. That energy spreads throughout the team and helps us get focused."
Fairchild, who transferred to Sacred Heart from Fordham prior to the 2020 season, called winning the conference title this season more exciting than a sigh of relief. She added while the stakes are higher, the team is viewing it as just another volleyball match.
While elements such as the atmosphere, size, and physicality will be amplified in the NCAA Tournament, Machan relies on his experience and preparation to get his team ready for the challenge.
"I think it helps the team that we have experienced players in this situation," Machan said. "I've been to the tournament a few times and we have players who have been there before as well. It's trying to keep the whole event slow and not let it rush by you. We want to make sure we are taking the game point-by-point and not letting the game rush by you."
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