After a tough opening loss in the Kentucky Challenge, the Women's Volleyball team came back and finished 1-2 at this past weekend's tournament. The Deacs fought through adversity and defeated a strong Western Michigan and will use what they learned last weekend in this weekend's Black and Gold Invitational.

The Deacons showed a lot of promise in their victory over the Western Michigan Broncos. Many young and talented players stepped up to help the team through a tough match, especially the third game.

"The team showed a lot of tenacity and perseverance in finishing of a long third game and four game match versus a tough team," Head Coach Valorie Baker said. The Deacons went on to win by the score of 28-30, 30-28, 38-36, and 30-24.

Many unexpected faces rose to the Broncos' challenge and proved to be a crucial part to the team's chemistry and success.

Freshman Valerie Rydberg who was named to the All-Tournament Team, had a huge Saturday tallying 30 kills and 29 digs against WMU and Dayton. Rydberg's play in the tournament was accompanied with high praise from her coach,

"Valerie's one very competitive player, she controlled the court defensively and mixed up her shots with a lot of deep swings," Baker said.

Following their win against WMU, the Deacs lost a five-game-thriller to Dayton. But on a day when senior Ashlee Phillips set the all-time assist record at Wake Forest, it was the play of two freshmen and one sophomore that opened the eyes of Baker and the team.

Freshman Christy Williams, who has seen limited playing time this year, made the most of the team's final game. She accumulated a team-high 13 kills and 8 blocks. Fellow Freshmen A.J. Nicholas did the same with her opportunities, rounding up 10 digs.

Finally, sophomore Tara Shelton showed great consistency at her right side position. Baker was very impressed with her player's performance. "The players brought with them a very competitive level of play to the court, and an eagerness to be a part of team," Baker said. "Most importantly the young girls played beyond their years, showing a lot of experience."

Despite going only 1-2 last weekend, it is clear that the team has plenty of confidence heading into this weekend's Black and Gold Challenge. "We've played some tough competition, some of the best teams in the country," Baker said. "We have a lot of confidence going into this weekend, and are hoping to come out with some W's."

San Diego State, UAB and Winthrop will be the three teams that the Deacons will face this weekend. UAB, hails from Conference USA, a conference that has had a rich volleyball tradition. Winthrop is one of the top teams in its league, so they will no doubt be arriving with confidence. San Diego State has had some ups and downs but still has had some quality wins and will prove to be a challenge as well.