Panthers Unleashed: Tournament Talk

Only the top four teams in the SCIAC get the opportunity to play in the postseason tournament. Both the women's volleyball and men's soccer teams have earned the chance to claim the conference title.

After posting a 10-6 record in SCIAC play, the women's volleyball team earned the No. 3 seed and head to No. 2-seed Cal Lutheran to face off against the Regals for the third time this season. The men's soccer squad snagged the final spot in the tournament and head to No. 1-seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

Neither team is unfamiliar with what it is like to be preparing for the postseason tournament. Both squads earned a spot in the top-4 in the 2017 season. For women's volleyball, this year is a little different.

"This year, we definitely have more confidence going into it," said senior captain Courtney Justus. "We've already beat Cal Lu at Cal Lu so I think we have a really good shot of going on."

Fellow senior and captain Kaitlyn Raymundo agreed, "The difference going in is confidence. I think we have a physically stronger team than we have had before and our team chemistry this year has been better than it has been in pretty much any other year."

For the freshman, though, it's a different story. This is the first time they are experiencing playoffs at the collegiate level.

"Everybody has this determination," said freshman setter and outside hitter Sophie Srivastava. "Everybody is working hard because we want it."

For men's soccer, confidence is also key going into tonight's match. "Last year we underestimated Cal Lutheran," said senior captain Kai Howe. "We have a lot of good energy right now and I think going into it we aren't underestimating Claremont. We know they're a good team but we know that we have the players to beat them as well."

"We're ready to dominate," quipped fellow senior captain Nick Rooney. "We've got some momentum going and we have the fire inside us."

Don't call them underdogs, though. "I think underdog is an interesting term because I think we are peaking at the right time," said Rooney. "Maybe we've had some setbacks in the season that put is in the fourth place spot, but all that matters now is where you are at this moment. We've got the people that are playing to the maximum of their ability right now when we need it most."

Freshman Zach Matteoni never had a doubt about the team's ability to make it to the tournament. "I did come in expecting that we would be at least one of the top four teams coming in my freshman year. We have a lot of momentum right now."

Freshman goalkeeper Chandler Siemonsma has no plans of stopping anytime soon. "At the beginning of the season we all set goals. This is one of the goals, but this isn't where we want to stop. We want to progress through, but it's the first step in the right direction."

They've done the hard part. They've played a tough regular season against some of the best teams in the region. So how does this week, leading up to the semifinal match, differ from the last two months?

"Rooney has been super positive," Matteoni said. "He's been sending messages to the team trying to pump everyone up this week. It helps get everyone up to that level and ready to play the biggest game so far."

Freshman outside hitter Erika Wiles also weighed in on the difference, "The games in the past have been fun and we were pushing hard, but these past couple of weeks, knowing that we were going to be making the tournament, we have really pushed hard and we've really been working."

Both squads have changed their focuses this week in practice leading up to the big game.

"I think more tactical stuff. We didn't really focus on the other teams' strengths before, but now we are trying to pick out their weaknesses," said Howe. "We've also been practicing penalty kicks, corners and set pieces because we know that those are the types of plays that will determine the game."

"Blocking and serve-receive," said Justus. "We know that they're a good serving team, so really bearing down and getting those passes."

"Just consistency as well," added Raymundo. "Mary (Cahill) always talks about that and that is kind of what wins games. If we can play our game the entire way through we can take any team in our conference."

For the seniors, it's their last chance at a conference title.

"We've got a shot this year and we've got such a great team," said Raymundo. "As much as the body is able, I will keep going."

Justus agreed, "We've been playing volleyball for so long I just want to prolong it for as long as possible. We want to end on a good note."

"It's a little sad. We know they're leaving but it's also exciting because we want to make their last year the best it can be," said Srivastava.

"Even only knowing them a few months, it feels like I've known them for a really long time," Wiles said with a laugh. "I've made friendships and I want to play for them and play hard and get a good win at the end."

For Rooney, it's a very special moment. The senior has made it to the postseason tournament all four years. The defender touches on what it feels like heading into what could be the final match of his Chapman career.

"For me, it's a culmination of four years of a lot of hard work. Going all four years, there's guys you look up to. There's people who step up and kind of become heroes and make things happen when it counts the most. This year, you step on the field as a senior and you look up for a moment, and you look at yourself."

A moment that has been four years in the making.

"When I was a freshman I remember after the first week of soccer, I made the SCIAC rings my screen saver on my phone. I left it on that entire year and never took it off. Ever since then, it's been the biggest accomplishment I feel like I could have as an athlete. All of the hard work, the running over the summer, the moments we decided to take away time from our friends, we put towards this. It's kind of like the finale, the final culmination of everything we've done."

by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant

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