Written by Stuart Price, Staff Writer

Volleyball hopes to start off the season by serving up their first loss.

VSU Volleyball starts off its season this Friday Sep. 4 in Boca Raton at the Lynn University Tournament against Barton College from North Carolina.

Coach Mike Swan has been very pleased with how practice is going so far this season.

He says that the new incoming players are competing for a starting spot and returning players are trying to remain on top, so practice has been very upbeat and competitive.

The team features seven returning players and six new-comers, including four freshmen.

Like years in the past, VSU hopes to continue to dominate at the home court this season and play strong and smart on the road.

Last year, the team was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament and their goal for this season is to advance further this time around.

Coach Swan mentions that the team is already really strong when it comes to defensive returns because of their great range and mobility and can consistently deliver strong attacks. One area the girls are trying to improve in is their blocking, which has been one of their main focuses at practice.