Kinnelon Girls Volleyball Team Confident About Season

OVERVIEW

If the Kinnelon vs. Sparta varsity volleyball scrimmage last week is any indication, the upcoming season for the girls volleyball team looks promising. The lady Colts won two out of three games on Thursday. With 12 seniors graduating and leaving the team last year, this year's roster is filled with young faces. But Head Coach Stephanie Finke is confident in their ability to pull through and be a competitive force this year.

The Kinnelon Colts varsity volleyball team seems to have a plan and implementing it in practice and scrimmages. They say practice makes perfect and time will tell if all of their efforts pay off in the coming season. After a few more scrimmages, the lady Colts will play the Morristown Beard School Crimson in the season-opener on Friday.

LAST SEASON'S RESULTS

Kinnelon's varsity girls volleyball team finished the 2010 season at 11-11-0 or 7-2-0 in their conference. Finke is determined to do better this season.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

*Caroline Laton, Middle Blocker (Jr.)- Finke said Laton is an extremely good player and is expected to be more effective with her "kills" this season with help from her team.

“As for the team as a whole, I like to get everyone off the bench during scrimmages just to see different rotations and look to get a better understanding of what we need to pull it all together,” said Finke.

COACH'S TAKE

“We graduated 12 seniors last year and have only two returning varsity players this season, so the players now are coming up from JV so it’s taken some time for players to learn their new spots and rotation," she said. ”What’s great about this team is that they work extremely hard and they get along."

“The team performs well together and are supportive of each other,” Finke added. “They can take criticism the right way and overall they are a great group of girls and I believe all of that will carry us through the season.”

2011 KINNELON GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL ROSTER

No.      Name                     Position                       Year

24       Dori Ballai               Defensive Specialist      Jr.
9         Anastasia Blasi        Outside Hitter               Jr.
15       Morgan Browning     Outside Hitter               Jr.
14       Kara Crampton                                           Sr.
27       Kerri Eng                 Outside Hitter              Soph.
12       Sarah Galese           Outside Hitter               Sr.
21       Chelbi Halpin                                              Jr.
22       Melissa Landspurg    Outside Hitter              Sr.
17       Caroline Laton          Middle Blocker             Jr.
25       Kristen MacDonald    Setter                         Jr.
11       Dana Silvestri           Setter                         Jr.
16       Patti Stelmaszcyk      Middle Blocker            Sr.
5         Sophia Tiajoloff         Setter                        Fr.
1         Isabella Tighe           Outside Hitter             Fr.