Volleyball opens North Texas Challenge with big win over Oregon State
Then-junior Amanda Chamberlain gets in position to spike the ball on Sunday afternoon during the UNCC game | Hannah Breland
The Mean Green volleyball team (6-1) defeated Oregon State (6-1) in dominating fashion Friday night, knocking off the previously undefeated Beavers in straight sets 25-21, 25-18, 25-22.
Freshman Barbara Teakell led the game with 15 kills while junior Karley York put on another dazzling display with 48 assists. The Mean Green had four players in double digits in kills and points.
The Mean Green are currently on a five game winning streak.
Head coach Andrew Palileo knew how important this game was for his team, and North Texas capitalized on the opportunity against a team ranked 22nd in RPI.
“I wanted them to make sure that we do not get out worked at home,” Palileo said. “It is all about winning on our court.”
Although the Mean Green played well, Palileo pointed to a few points of concern heading into the next few days of the North Texas Challenge.
“We lost several points on scramble plays,” Palileo said. “We need to improve on that going into tomorrow’s game.”
The Mean Green will likely continue to rely on Teakell, who is on fire of late. She is now leading the team in kills over the last two matches and said it is because she started focusing more on the things she can control.
“After the first tournament, we went to Boston College and I realized I needed to stop worrying about the opponent,” Teakell said.
The Mean Green felt confident throughout the game, and it showed on the court. Playing in front of a big crowd, the Mean Green put on a dominating performance.
“We felt like we had nothing to lose, they were the ones with something to prove,” Teakell said. ” We had fun. It was a lot of fun.”
Confidence in the locker room after the game was high and York said there was never any doubt in the team’s ability heading into the game against one of the better teams in the country.
“We knew we were good enough to beat them,” York said. “We just have to continue to play at this level.”
Next up: The Mean Green play game two of the North Texas Challenge at 11 a.m. Saturday against the University of New Orleans.
Featured image: Then-junior Amanda Chamberlain gets in position to spike the ball on Sunday afternoon during the UNCC game | Hannah Breland
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