By Lindsey Schoewe
As former volleyball player Megan Gilroy went up to attack the ball, outside hitter Marija Zelenovic quickly blocked the attack, setting the momentum for the current Trojans.
The Troy volleyball team had an alumni match this past Saturday, Aug. 24, where nine former Troy volleyball players participated in a six-set tune up for the 2013 Trojans.
“Our alumni group was one of the best collections we had come back,” head coach Sonny Kirkpatrick said. “They really pushed us; this is what we needed to help prepare us for our upcoming games.”
A recent preseason addition for the Trojans was new assistant coach Cinthya Roberto, who played at multiple colleges including Blinn College, Florida and Texas A&M.
Roberto displayed her coaching techniques this past Saturday as her team faced off against former Troy volleyball household names like Breanna Cullity, Devin Von Pingel and Natasa Kolunija.
Even Trojan assistant coach Lizzie Clough, who was a former defensive specialist at Troy for three seasons, joined in the fray with the Alumni team or the “old ladies” as Kirkpatrick jokingly referred to them.
Until that first game is played on the road Friday against Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m., the Trojans will not know how their team will translate to outside competition.
“Volleyball is such a mental and unpredictable sport,” Roberto said. “There is no telling on how well a team will do during a specific season. As staff, we do expect our student athletes to keep up with their responsibilities on and off the court. Our discipline and focus will lead us to the ultimate goal of having a stellar season. We have the potential, but it all boils down to great execution.”
The Trojans start their season on the road this weekend facing Stephen F. Austin on Friday in the Southern Miss Invitational that also includes two matches this Saturday against Southern Miss at 11 a.m. and Jackson State later that day at 1:30 p.m.
For Troy volleyball coverage all season follow Trop sports on Twitter and check out tropnews.com for home match recaps.
Keep up with senior libero Courtney Cohen’s pursuit of history with the “Courtney Dig Tracker” that monitors the senior’s digs until she breaks the school record for most career digs.
Cohen only needs 210 digs to break the school record.
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