Volleyball to face Wharton in first round of conference tournament

Amanda Booren - 11/5/2008 The San Jacinto College volleyball team will play for its fourth-straight Region XIV title, and a return trip to the national championship, this weekend in Laredo. Photo credit: Kyle Smith.

PASADENA, Texas – In the hunt for a fourth-consecutive Region XIV title, and a return trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament, the San Jacinto College volleyball team will face Wharton County Junior College in the first round of the Region XIV tournament this weekend in Laredo.

San Jac and Wharton will square off for the fifth time this season, starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 7, at the Maravillo Gymnasium on the campus of Laredo Community College.

"Since we’ve played Wharton four times already this season, it will be a solid match,” said head coach Sharon Nelson, now in her seventh season. “We have both seen each other play well and play not so well. It will be an exciting match with lots of emotion."

San Jac, ranked fifth in the nation, owns an overall record of 28-2, and finished the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record in conference play. SJC is led by a trio of sophomore outside hitters in Zuzana Cizova (Zlin, Czech Republic), Julia Teixeira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Bruna Rocha (Sao Paulo, Brazil). All three rank in the top 12 in the nation in kills per game, led by Cizova who is fourth with a 4.4 average. Rocha is ninth at 4.2 per game and Teixeira is 12th with 4.1 per game.

"Our players have worked hard this season to be undefeated in the conference, and win the regular-season title, and now they see that it’s all come down to this weekend,” noted Nelson. “It’s pressure for our young team, but they have faired very well under pressure this season."

San Jac has faced 11 teams ranked in the top-20 this season, including a 3-0 upset of then top-ranked Western Iowa following Hurricane Ike. SJC has also defeated third-ranked University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, and No. 4 Blinn.

San Jac’s success lies not only in its hitting, but in a freshman setter as well. Abbey Parker (Houston / J. Frank Dobie High School) leads the nation in assists at 13.3 per game. She has 1,170 total for the season.

The winner of Friday’s match will face either Lee College or host Laredo on Saturday at 2 p.m., for the conference championship. The winner advances to the NJCAA national tournament November 20-22 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

For information about San Jacinto College volleyball, visit www.sanjacsports.com.