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Northern Essex Community College Women’s Volleyball is coming into this season with a newer team.
Second year coach Yemayma Molina says there are about three or four players returning to the Knights. Despite the newer look, Molina says they’re “getting along so much better, and quicker than I thought they would’ve,” about two weeks into practice.
The team finished last season with a record of 12-8 overall and made it to the region 21 semifinals where the Knights fell to Holyoke Community College. Molina said what she believes the team will need to be successful again.
“I would say just consistency. Once the girls get more into a rhythm, and it’s more of the consistency, the communication, the hard work. I feel like that will help them get to that place and probably even further,” she says.
She says the team’s greatest strength is its open-mindedness.
“They’ve been comfortable with change, and not too uncomfortable with it. I guess, it hasn’t been the easiest switches for some of them, but they’re adjusting well to them, and they’re not necessarily fighting it.,” explains Molina. “Obviously, there’s some questioning, but they’re still doing what they’re asked to by the coaches and their teammates which has been very helpful with how they’ve been getting along as well,” she adds.
The first game of the Knights season comes Thursday, Sept., 3, 6 p.m., in a rematch at New Hampshire Technical Institute who beat Northern Essex in the season opener last year, 3-0. Molina shared with WHAV how she’s been preparing the team for its first game.
“My top goal is to have the girls understand that not everything they do has to be to perfection. For example, we spoke yesterday at practice about how you don’t have to score every time you get the ball over the net, as long as you do something with it, you’re helping your team and yourself.”
Molina says it’s too early to say how well the team will do this season and where it will end up, adding, “I do have a lot of faith and hope in my girls, and I think they will make it very far, as long as they keep working hard and keep positive attitudes.”
A decision has yet to be made on who will captain the volleyball team this season.