After earning the unanimous preseason No. 1 spot in the Centennial Conference, Hopkins women's volleyball eyed their 2013 season with high expectations.
The season began with Hopkins traveling to Ohio to participate in the Wittenburg National Invitational at the end of August. Although the Blue Jays dropped all three games, they faced the toughest competition in the invitational. All three opponents were ranked top-10 nationally, including number one St. Thomas. Metalios and Donohoe additionally earned All-Tournament team honors.
Following the Wittenberg Invitational, this past Sunday Hopkins finished out their home Greg “Gio” Giovanazzi Memorial Tournament invitational by defeating Lynchburg in straight sets (25-10, 26-24, 25-18), and then dropping the championship match to Stevenson in converse fashion (25-10, 26-24, 25-16).
Junior outside hitter Meagan Donohoe lead the Blue Jays for the entirety of the tournament in the Goldfarb Gym. She was named to the all-tournament team after recording a commanding 50 kills and eight aces during the weekend.
The Blue Jays claimed the first set against Lynchburg with relative ease, cruising behind junior Ellen Rogers as she served up eight consecutive points to carve out a 14-4 initial lead. From there, Hopkins easily captured the 25-10 first set.
Lynchburg came out firing in the second set, at one point leading the Blue Jays by nine points. However, Hopkins mounted an impressive comeback, winning two game points against Lynchburg and rallying from behind to win 26-24.
Junior setter Mariel Metalios earned seven assists in the second set, often finding Donohoe who tallied eight kills in the second set.
In the tournament's championship game against Stevenson, the dynamic duo found themselves again leading the charge in a critical second set. After building up a 20-14 lead, Hopkins suddenly found themselves on the other side of the comeback as Stevenson managed to rally and win the set 26-24.
“We definitely let the pressure of a 'big' game get to us and our mental game was off,” Donohoe said. “Fortunately, that match still has value to us, as it is an excellent learning tool.”
Despite a 4-4 start over the course of two tournaments and one game, the Blue Jays seem unconcerned with rankings or results.
“We are a process-oriented team, focusing on how we get there instead of where we go,” senior and team captain Erica Levenbaum said.
Donohoe echoed a similar mantra, citing a cultural change within the team dynamic.
“This season, we have been very focused on the learning process and less worried about the results, a change that has taught us how to bring out the best in one another,” Donohoe said. “Feedback from our teammates has been a critical component to our improvement.”
The shift in thinking comes with a greater change in the program this year. Tim Cole, former assistant coach at Washington & Lee in Lexington, VA, is the new head coach of the Blue Jays.
Cole brings six years of collegiate coaching experience to the table, as well as some professional experience, having played for a professional team in Germany in 2006.
With so many new factors to the team this year, the Blue Jays are fortunate enough to anchor the season with a number of key returning upperclassmen.
Hitting powerhouses Donohoe and junior Megan Cohen led the team in kills last year, averaging 2.00 kills per game each. Cohen blasted to the top of the leader board last year, breaking the program record for hitting percentage and notching a team-high nine blocks in one game.
Despite missing much of the 2012 season due to injury, Donohoe solidified her role as another key outside hitter during her freshman year where she earned multiple post-season honors, including All-Conference awards. Her performance this weekend indicates her past injury is nothing but old news.
“We want to be national champions — we understand that it is a process and that we have a lot of growing to do, but we all believe that we can do it,” Donohoe said
“We are on the right track.”
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