After a season full of ups-and-downs, the Iona volleyball team was able to make a name for themselves in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament, getting the upset victory over Sacred Heart in the first round. While they would fall to Canisius in the second round, to see them go from a 1-9 start to a second-round appearance in the MAAC Championship tournament is something to be remembered. I had the opportunity to talk with sophomore outside hitter Ava DeGuzman about this season and ask her some questions about her and the team’s performance.
Michael Marchionna (MM): “The team started the season 1-9 throughout their first ten games but were able to go 8-10 during the rest of the season. What do you think was able to motivate the team to finish the season strong?” Ava DeGuzman (ADG): “In the beginning of the season we were really trying to find out what line ups work and different combinations of people on the court. We were motivated by each other’s work ethic. We worked together and pushed each other everyday in practice and by the end of the season we really found our groove and what line ups worked best for us.”
MM: “How does it feel to make it to the second round of the playoffs in every year of your career so far?”ADG: “It’s a good feeling, but there’s always that desire to keep going and make it farther and win the MAAC. Despite how things ended this season, I think we could’ve made it farther and our record doesn’t quite show that.” MM: “You were among the top players in the team when it came to digs. What is your strategy when it comes to being an impact player on defense?”
ADG: “ I kind of have the mentality ‘see the ball, get the ball.’ There was no specific strategy that I went by. It’s a team effort, attempting to read the setter or hitter on the opposite side of the net, as well as reading our block, and basing some of my moves off our block calls, then making run downs if needed. Volleyball is a game of keeping the ball off the ground but just a little more complex,
so that’s what I try my best to do when it comes to defense.” MM: “Where do you see the Iona volleyball team heading in the future?” ADG: “I know Iona volleyball has a bright future. We have a huge recruitment class coming in, and our team will continue to train hard this spring for this upcoming season. Of course, we have high hopes of winning the MAAC and making the NCAA tournament, so that’s the goal we’ll keep working towards.”
