Athletes of the Week: Volleyball's Kelsey Michenko & Maggie Slowey

The girls volleyball team won their first six matches of the year following a 3-1 victory against  Wednesday night.

Seniors Kelsey Michenko and Maggie Slowey have been a large part in the team's success the past three years. During their freshman year, they lost in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. They made it further their sophomore year, when they fell to in the quarterfinal. Last year, the team lost to Pine-Richland in the semifinal.

"Out of all four years, I think this is our year," Michenko said, noting that WPIAL MVP Julia McCabe graduated from Pine-Richland.

With six other teams in their section, USC has now played every team in the section once. The Panthers have won 18 games and lost one game (each match is best of five games). They're set to be the section champions, but their goal is to win a WPIAL championship, and they are pushing themselves to be ready.

"We'll play mind games to keep motivated, like trying to hold teams to under five points," Michenko said.

Michenko and Slowey both emphasize teamwork and don't feel they are the "stars" of the team. The team's chemistry is a critical part of their success.

"I'm the team enthusiast and optimist," Michenko said.

"I try to throw in some jokes, be sarcastic, just be lighter. That's my thing," Slowey said, who comes from an athletic family. Her brother, Kevin Slowey, pitches for the Minnesota Twins.

"They are both well-skilled players," volleyball head coach Yoko Nagao said.

Coach Nagao is part of the reason why this year's team is so close.

"I love Yoko, she's just this amazing person, she is always here for the team," Michenko said.

The team spends a lot of time together. They have pasta dinners hosted by a player nearly every Sunday, they have bonding sessions at Chuck E. Cheese and they visit Wendy's after matches.

In addition, the team's practice each day is about three and a half hours long, and bus rides from away matches can take as long as one and a half hours. The team tries to do homework together on the way home, jokingly wearing miner caps with lights.

Michenko and Slowey both plan to attend college next year. Michenko said she must decide which school to play volleyball for next year. Slowey is unsure if she will continue to play at the next level, but is keeping it as a possibility.

The girls invite the public to attend their upcoming “Dig Pink” matches—in which the team will raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer. The first game is against section rival Ringgold High School on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The second match is a non-section match against rival Mt. Lebanon High School on Thursday, Oct. 6. Both games will be held in the Upper St Clair High School gym beginning with JV matches at 6 p.m. followed by the varsity matches at 7 p.m.