Simmons Volleyball ended the 2009 season with an appearance in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference Tournament, reaching the quarterfinals after a 13-15 season (7-5 GNAC). Led by Head Coach Jason Conetta, the Sharks racked up the second-most wins for the program for the second year in a row. Simmons also earned the best GNAC finish since 1999 as the 6th seed heading into the conference tournament, after being ranked 8th in the preseason poll.
"Watching the players fight for victories this season was the most inspiring feeling I have taken from my three years here at Simmons College. We as a team agree that we did not expect our regular season record of 13-15, however we also can agree we had no idea we could play as well as we did in the last few games," said Coach Conetta.
While the Sharks did not make it all the way to the GNAC Championship game, the young 2009 roster is paving the way for future success. Led by senior captains Amanda Weaver (Eaton, Ohio) and Jessica Hambleton (Methuen, Mass.), and junior captain Nicky Loring (Chester, N.H.) there is plenty of talent waiting in the wings for another shot at the conference title, as only Weaver and Hambleton will graduate in the spring.
Starting setter Weaver racked up 614 assists, and will leave Simmons with 2,211 collegiate assists, 1,190 accumulated at Simmons after transferring as a junior from Elmira College. Weaver leaves Simmons with the most career sets in Sharks history.
Starting libero Hambleton tallied 376 digs in 2009, making her the program leader in digs this season. Hambleton leaves Simmons with the most digs in program history with 946 career digs. She played especially well in the volleyball postseason for the Sharks, and Coach Conetta will remember her for her dedication and leadership through her four seasons with Simmons Volleyball.
Other standouts include sophomore outside hitter Meaghan Flynn (Laguna Beach, Calif.), who became the first Simmons volleyball player to earn Second Team GNAC All-Conference honors two years in a row. Flynn led the attack with a season-high 248 kills. With 469 career kills recorded as a sophomore, Flynn is on track to become the first-ever Simmons Volleyball player to reach a milestone of 1000 kills.
Sophomore outside hitter Kate Fionte (Andover, Mass.) had an impressive 2009 season, recording 169 total kills. Fionte demonstrated tremendous leadership on the court this season, and will be expected to continue to lead the Sharks into the playoffs yet again in seasons to come.
Sophomore right side hitter Krista Evans (Killen, Ala.) earned GNAC All-Conference Sportsmanship honors this season with her fantastic play in the front row. Evans was a tremendous asset to the Sharks offense this season, recording 98 kills and 18 service aces. "At times, Evans was all the Sharks needed to kick-start the offense," said Coach Conetta. "She maintained a high level of enthusiasm and determination to come through in tight situations during the season."
Junior middle hitter Taylor Pederson (San Antonio, Texas) suffered a difficult eye injury that kept her sidelined throughout the first month of the season. However, Pederson bounced back immediately after her injury was cleared and helped support the offense with 97 kills and 37 total blocks. Pederson demonstrated some of the most impressive and smart hitting in her career at Simmons College in 2009.
Morgan Powell (Orange, Mass.), a sophomore transfer from Elmira College, demonstrated determination and focus throughout the season as she made an immediate contribution to the Sharks offense. Powell blended perfectly into the team and, "I believe next season as well as seasons to come, Morgan will be a huge contributor to the volleyball team's success," said Coach Conetta.
Several freshmen also made an immediate impact on the team in 2009. Outside hitter Kelly Last (West Haven, Conn.), a versatile athlete, was able to play numerous positions this season, but found her niche in the middle. Kelly finished the fall with 106 kills and 39 blocks. "I expect huge things from Kelly next season," said Coach Conetta.
Setter Rachel Dufault (Westport, Mass.) made a mark dishing out assists for the Sharks. "Rachel was able to watch Amanda Weaver in the setter's position, and learn what she will need to produce as she finds herself leading the offense next season," said Conetta. Setter Melissa Martin (North Smithfield, R.I.) will aim to take on libero duties next season after working with Hambleton during the season. "Melissa was able to contribute to the defense and showed some impressive ability in some very big games for us this season," said Coach Conetta.
Simmons Volleyball is determined to continue their path to the GNAC championship in 2010. "This season was a learning experience, and I know the girls will train and work during the off-season to become victorious next season in the playoffs," said Coach Conetta. "Assistant Coach Kelly Scafariello was a huge asset to this program, and the girls worked well with her throughout the season. We as a team understood what it takes to finish in the playoffs and that's what we are training to complete during the off-season."