Team Chemistry, Hard Work Formula For Volleyball Success

By JOSEPH DOMINGUEZ/Contributor 

UT Tyler Volleyball is off to a good start. Despite the ups-and-downs, Coach Lyndsay Mashe is happy with the work ethic her players are putting in.

Mashe and the players are confident they will be a top team in the conference. That is if they connect strong offense and defense play. The Patriots started the season with a 3-5 record. They played most of the games on the road.

“Some games were tight but, in the end, we couldn’t pull the win off and sadly took the losses as a team,” Mashe said.

On Sept. 27, they started conference play with a 3-0 sweep (25-19, 25-21, 25-22) against Oklahoma Christian at Herrington Patriot Center.

“I was very pleased with how our team responded going into the conference and making sure we won at home,” Mashe said.

As the season continues, Mashe wants players to bring everything they have to practices and challenge themselves. Doing this will make big moments in games a lot easier for the team and players won’t be overly stressed.

The Patriots have several athletes who have a lot of knowledge and experience from last year. Mashe expects these leaders to teach and help less experience athletes who aren’t at the same level.

“Coach Mashe expects us to be her helping hand if a younger girl is struggling with something, to act like another coach as well,” senior Jenna White said.

As a foundation for success, Mashe is building a family among all the players. She said she makes connections with every player so that they trust her and one another in games.

“She’s like an older sister or mother to me,” freshman Drew Bridges said of Mashe. “Coming to UT Tyler, she made me feel at home, which makes it a lot easier for me and makes the community more comforting.

Team members say they are ready for any fight. Their motto is not necessarily never be afraid but, instead, make other teams afraid to play against them.