M. Volleyball club competes on national stage

The Penn men's volleyball club has enjoyed a terrific season thus far, but the fun is really just beginning. After compiling a 16-3 match record this spring -- losing only 13 games out of a possible 52 -- the team is looking ahead to three big tournaments, including traveling to nationals in Reno, Nev. Although the team's season began in the fall when it took home first place in two of three tournaments, the spring season is when the competition truly heats up. Penn plays opponents from the Ivy League and the South Atlantic division of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, as well as other nearby clubs. However, as club president Dean Pernisie points out, the squad is beginning to focus more on playing a wider range of national competition and looks to participate in three or four national tournaments annually in the future. The team of 19 practices twice a week in Weightman Hall but it can also be spotted getting in some extra digs and kills outdoors in the Quad or Superblock. Stephanie Horan, MVP of the women's varsity team, does most of the active coaching, while varsity head coach Kerry Major helps out voluntarily when she can. As with all club sports, though, the team is completely student-run and is partly funded by membership dues. Tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Weightman Hall, the Quakers will face Rutgers, a perennially strong club currently ranked fourth in the nation, which will help prepare them for their strong upcoming schedule. In April they will compete in an EIVA conference tournament, the Ivy League Championships, and, most importantly, the National Intercollegiate Recreation Sports Association National Tournament in Reno. Among nearly 200 teams competing for various titles in Reno next week, Penn will play in the tournament's 60-team men's first division. Although it did not receive one of the 25 automatic bids, Penn still looks to be a competitive force. "The fact that we have shown such synergy in decisive games is an indication of the great potential that this team has," Pernisie said. One of the reasons for the team's improved play this year has to do with the solid performances of several new freshmen, three or four of whom start regularly. "Bringing in such a strong class of freshmen has forced the upperclassmen to re-earn their spots on the court, which has been great for the team," Pernisie said. Although it has not been a varsity team since the late 1980s, it is obvious that the men's club volleyball team's stellar accomplishments this season prove that they know how to win and have fun at the same time.

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