UC Clermont Cougars Start Season on Positive Note

The 2010 edition of the UC Clermont volleyball team kicked off the season with a busy week of matches. The young Cougars got off to a positive start and learned some important lessons as they recorded a 3-1 record during the period.

Clermont opened the season with a road OCAC match at Southern State. The Cougars battled an equally young Patriot squad and improved a little each game in recording a 25-16, 25-12, 25-8 win.

As the weekend approached, the Cougars again hit the road. They headed to Pittsburgh to participate in the Penn State-Beaver Invitational tournament. Clermont faced a brutal draw as they were once again pooled with two top-ten USCAA teams from the 2009 campaign.

On Friday night, Clermont faced Penn State-Fayette – the 2009 champion of the Penn State Athletic Conference. The Cougars hit an outstanding .392 for the match and were able to squeeze out a 17-25, 25-12, 25-23, 25-23 win. 

The competition got even tougher on Saturday morning as 2009 USCAA number-four rated and new NAIA member Rochester College awaited. Rochester is a D-I powerhouse in the USCAA and was looking for revenge as Clermont knocked them out of the 2009 USCAA national championship in the quarterfinal round. This time the D-I program prevailed over D-II Clermont 25-20, 25-18, 25-19. The young Cougars were able to stay close with good defense in spite of Rochester’s control of the net and gained some valuable experience against a top notch program.

Clermont wrapped up the tournament with a close contest against Penn College. The Cougars got off to a slow start as Penn College came out swinging for a 25-23 first-game win. Games two and three saw Clermont steady a bit as they pulled out 25-22 and 30-28 wins. As game four began, the Cougars gained the momentum with solid defense and a powerful attack to cruise to a 25-13 match-clinching victory.

Junior setter/outside hitter Lauren Bradford (Norwood High School) was selected by the tournament committee to the All-Tournament team.

Next, the Cougars open the home portion of the 2010 season by hosting the UCC Volleyfest on Saturday, Sept. 4. For more information about the Cougar’s Volleyball Team visit http://www.ucclermont.edu/Athletics/womensvball.html