Skid ends in Jacksonville

The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers won their first game this past weekend against the North Florida Ospreys (2-12) but first lost to the Jacksonville University Dolphins (8-8). The games took place in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sept. 24-25, 2010.

The Lady Rattlers lost their first game of the weekend to the Dolphins in straight sets (25-21, 25-12, and 25-17).

That lost extended the Lady Rattlers losing streak to 11 consecutive games. The Dolphins outperformed the Rattlers during the win with a hitting percentage of .410 as compared to the Lady Rattlers .074

Florida A&M bounced back with its first win of the season, defeating the Ospreys in four sets (22-25, 25-18, 25-23, 25-16). After losing the first game to North Florida the Lady Rattlers would come back to win the next three games and record their first win of the season.

Florida A&M Women’s Volleyball team hitting was much improved compared. The team had a hitting percentage of .255 and held their opponent of a hitting percentage of .166.

Prior to the game setter Jessica Bond shared her thoughts on what they needed to do.

“We need to learn to work as a team put everything together as one and become a full unit,” said setter Jessica Bond.

Head coach Tony Trinfonov described the team’s play in the 11 games prior to the North Florida matchup as “embarrassing.” The win against North Florida provides at least a buffer between the 11 previous games and conference play.

The Lady Rattlers even though have had a tough schedule has benefited from how the level of the play as seven out of their twelve games have been against teams who the NCAA tourney last year.

“The non-conference competition has definitely has helped us prepare for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference competition,” said coach Tony Trifonov in a previous interview. “It doesn’t benefit to have a good record and lose the MEAC so I rather have a not so good record going in to MEAC play and win it all.”

The Lady Rattlers now have some momentum heading into conference play and familiar target on their backs as defending MEAC champions. The road to a tenth consecutive conference title starts Oct. 2 versus the Norfolk State Spartans in Norfolk, Va.