Young Golden Rams volleyball team off to slow start but hopeful for future

The Anoka-Ramsey women’s volleyball team is off to a slow start. On the afternoon of Saturday October 10th, the Golden Rams were defeated by Riverland Community College in three straight games.

Despite the result looking as if it wasn’t much of a match, the Rams played Riverland very close in all three games that they did lose. They lost by final scores of 21-25, 22-25, and 24-26. Megan Helmrichs had a good day serving the ball as she collected six aces. Therefore, it is worth noting that it was a highly competitive matchup but the Rams were unable to make the big plays when they needed them. Coach Ashley Olson even went as far as saying that it was maybe the best team effort they have had the entire season. This now puts the Rams at a 4-13 record on the season.

At first glance most would view this season as a disappointment but what many don’t know is that the Rams had only six players on the team last year, just enough to field a team. One player returned and the other ten are all playing their first year of college volleyball. Coach Olson said, “We really want to gain some notoriety for the program. The fact we brought in ten new players make me hopeful even more will come next year and for even more years to come.”

Although on paper the Rams own a less than impressive record, they are very optimistic about their team’s future. The team is very confident in the amount of talent they have but their toughest obstacle has been their collective inexperience at the college level. Ten of the team’s 11 players are freshman and the only second year player on the team has been battling a knee injury throughout the season. It is even coach Ashley Olson’s first year as a head coach at the college level.

When I spoke to the team’s student manager Mitch Minnig, he made it quite apparent that the team feels as if they are getting better as the season goes on. “At this point, we know we probably won’t advance this year but we continue to improve and I think the team could go as far as the State Tournament next year,” said Minnig. Angy Gavere, another team manager, said that the team does have the talent to compete for a conference title. “It all depends on how hard they want to work for it next season,” said Gavere.

The loss to Ridgewater was the team’s last game at home. The season will conclude on Wednesday, October 14th on the road against St. Cloud Technical College. Although the Rams have been mathematically eliminated from making the playoffs, the team appears poised to put together a successful 2010 season.