SAN MARCOS, Calif. – During its first European tour in program history, the Cal State San Marcos volleyball team went a perfect 3-0 against international competition this past week.
"This means a lot to our team and what we are trying to accomplish this season," said CSUSM head coach
Andrea Leonard. "The international competition was really strong. It was a different style of play and it really challenged us in a lot of different ways. This was a great start for our team. We are leaving this tour with a lot information and things to work on ahead of the start of our season."
First, the Cougars beat Dream Volley Pisa in five sets, then they faced Volley Cecina twice during their visit. In first match against Volley Cecina, the Cougars won four sets and dropped one. But the Cougars bounced back during their second match against Cecina and won in four sets.
Major contributors to the Cougars' success is credited to seniors
Lauren Lee and Faith Fortuné, juniors
Aleese Wheaton and
Maddy Newcombe, and sophomores
Grecia Cordero-Barr and
Kassy Doering. In addition, Fortune led the team in blocks, newcomer Olivia Aguilar made an early impact, and Wheaton was key in the comeback win during the last match against Volley Cecina.
But it was certainly more than just international play for the team, as they were able to enjoy some of Italy's historical sights and delicious cuisine during their week-long trip. As a squad, they were able to immerse themselves into the Italian culture through language, history, art, traditions, and of course food. This experience will serve the student-athletes well beyond their years at Cal State San Marcos.
CSUSM Volleyball will return home this week as they gear up for the start of their 2018-19 regular season. Come watch all the CSUSM Volleyball action live starting on August 23-25 for the Cougar Classic tournament held at The Sports Center. For more information and tickets, visit
www.CSUSMCougars.com.
