Panthers Unleashed: What can't Sophie do?

Freshman setter and right side hitter Sophie Srivastava is averaging 2.86 kills per set, 5.82 assists per set and 2.38 digs per set. She claimed the title of three SCIAC athlete of the week awards and stands a force to be reckoned with on the Chapman University volleyball team.

She can pass. She can set. She can hit. So, what can't Sophie do?

Well, according to Sophie, herself, head coach Mary Cahill and her teammates; the answer to that question is obvious if you have ever stepped foot in a car with Srivastava behind the wheel.

"You tell her to turn right, she might turn left, to say the least," freshman outside hitter Erika Wiles chuckled.

Chapman volleyball's leader in hitting percentage (.288) and service aces (31) has no sense of direction.

You would not question Srivastava, who is ranked second overall in Division III with nine triple-doubles, on her court awareness. Maybe we should be questioning her driving.

"I always get lost and everyone makes fun of me," Srivastava said. "I am one of the three freshmen that have a car, so I have to drive a lot; that means we get lost a lot."

"She is in my van, in my van I have all six freshmen," Cahill explained. "I hear them talking all of the time. She doesn't even know where Honda Center is and it is like two blocks from here. Whenever we pass it they always give her a hard time; I am a little worried if she ever gets out on her own."

All fun aside, Srivastava has been a key aspect in the team's success and a ray of sunshine on and off the court. Her attitude is always positive. There is always a smile on her face no matter the outcome.

"She is super sweet and caring, one of the best people to be around; she always makes me laugh," Wiles said. "On the court, we always gel because of that friendship outside of it. It is really nice to have that bond on the court and off."

"You think she would just be able to pound the ball at you, which is true, but her personality is so opposite of that," sophomore opposite hitter Katherine Walker explained. "She will hit the ball and be like 'oh! I am so sorry!' She is just so sweet, no matter what."

Srivastava originally thought that her main focus after high school would be academic; she had no plans to pursue volleyball at a higher level. It was her mom ­– who played Division III volleyball at MIT – that encouraged her to give it a shot.

"I wasn't really intending on playing in college but then my mom encouraged me to," Srivastava exclaimed. "She said, 'I was able to do it, so you can do it too.' I was originally looking at schools based on their academics. Chapman has a great psychology program. That is what I was looking at. What made me choose this psych program specifically was that it had Division III athletics. It was really helpful to be able to do both."

"I don't think she realizes how good she is and how good she is going to be in her time here," Cahill said. "She is just a very nice person and is fun to coach. I guess I have her mom to thank."

Cahill went on to explain how humble Srivastava can be when it comes to understanding her skill set.

"I joke with her because we do long term goals and weekly goals. I don't know which one this was, it was probably a long-term goal, but it was to get one kill a set. The girls brought it up a week later after the Pomona tournament. They were like 'you are gonna get one kill a set?' I give her a hard time about that."

Srivastava averaged three kills per set in their 2-0 SCIAC week against Whittier and Pomona-Pitzer.

The freshman Psychology major is beginning to mold together her future career aspirations alongside her success on the court.  She spoke highly of Chapman's ability to help students manage a heavy course load as well as pursue their passions in sports. The classroom size is also something she has liked about the university thus far.

"I like doing research so I might want to work in a lab," Srivastava said. "Right now, my interests are mental disorders; that is what I really want to focus on… I really like the campus, it is small and it is not as hard to get lost. My professors have been super great and the class sizes are smaller, which is helpful compared to a huge school. I have made really close friends on the volleyball team, which has been really helpful."

The fact that Chapman campus is easy to navigate seemed to be a standout perk for the directionally challenged volleyball star. Whatever it was, Coach Cahill seems to be thrilled with her decision to attend the university, "She looked at some schools out here and she chose Chapman, I think we are really lucky.

Outside of volleyball, Srivastava enjoys hanging out with her friends, going to the beach, watching movies, and eating. Old Towne Orange seems to be another perk of the Chapman area considering all of the dining options at hand.

"I feel like I need to explore the circle more but I liked Pizza Press and Burger Parlor," Srivastava stated.

She remains undecided on the Blaze Pizza or Pizza Press debate but is partial when it comes to the Pizza Press garlic bread.

Srivastava is a friendly face around Chapman's campus and a friendly threat to any team that shows up to face the Panthers. It is safe to make the assumption that she will do big things during her time here. Like Coach Cahill put it, "She goes about her business, has fun, and just plays volleyball."

By Chloe DeVries
Contributor

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