GREENSBORO, N.C. — UNCG volleyball is off to an impressive start to the 2021 season.
“We want to be the best this year," Gabriela McHugh said.
The team is on its way to being the best. The Spartans have come out firing.
“We talk about staying together, playing together," Corey Carlin, who is the head coach of UNCG's volleyball team said.
The Spartans are finding success after a 2-15 season in the Spring.
“Each game was a gut punch every single day," McHugh said.
Junior setter Gabriela McHugh didn't want to feel that again.
“The previous girls set the standard, like myself included, that we weren’t going to have a season like last year," McHugh said. "The new girls wanted that too. They bought into it.”
Now in the Fall of 2021, the Spartans are 13-2, which is the best start in program history since the Division I era.
“Now that we’ve been rolling, we all have that confidence, like we know that we’re good," McHugh said.
Head Coach Corey Carlin said there are a few reasons for this quick turnaround.
“The kids really come in and focus," Corey Carlin, head coach of UNCG volleyball said. "We had a great preseason. We’re healthier than we’ve been the past couple years.”
“We’re more friends this year on and off the court and it makes us want to play for each other," McHugh said.
Coach Carlin said his team has earned its record.
“It's not like we had easy kick teams that we were rolling through," McHugh said. "We had tough competition.”
“This is a team that we’ve got the right makeup to make a deep run, but we still gotta go out there and do it," she said.
The Spartans are undefeated in conference play. Coach said their next matchup is a challenge.
The Spartans will host the reigning SoCon Tournament Champions, Samford, at 6 p.m. on Friday.
“We’re gong to keep steam rolling through," McHugh said.
