@CanesVB To Host Orange & Green Scrimmage
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami volleyball team will hold its annual Orange and Green Scrimmage on Friday.
The annual preseason scrimmage is set to begin at 7 p.m. in the home of Hurricane Volleyball, the James L. Knight Sports Complex. The scrimmage is open to the public and free to attend. In addition to being the first home volleyball event of the 2015 season, the Orange and Green Scrimmage will serve as the first opportunity to see the Canes in their new uniforms. Free pizza will be available while supplies last.
“We compete every day, but it will be nice to put the uniform on and have a referee up there and just play a game of volleyball,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “It’s going to give us a lot of information moving forward.”
The Hurricanes (22-9, 14-4 ACC) reached the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 8 Florida in a hard-fought four-set battle. Miami reached the second round for the third time in program history. The Canes, who are 4-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, earned their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2011 when they beat UCF in five sets on Dec. 5, 2014. The win was also the first NCAA Tournament victory in Gandara’s head coaching career.
“It’s always a new team, but the process is the same,” Gandara said. “We just want to be better at the end of the year. I think we are off to a good start, but we have a lot of work ahead of us. It’s always exciting at this time of year and it’s hard not to get too excited, but it’s going the way we want it to go.”
Miami brings back five of seven starters from the 2014 team. Preseason All-ACC pick Haley Templeton joins seniors Taylor Scott and Kalysta White, junior Kelsie Groot and sophomore Sakile Simmons as key returners heading into 2015.
“It’s exciting to see how far we have come in such a small amount of time,” Groot said. “I am looking forward to playing with all the returners and newcomers on Friday. It will be great to get into a game environment and see how we all play together.”
Senior Caitilin Donahoe and sophomores Sylvia Hernandez, Michele Marenus and Brooke McDermott also made contributions for the Hurricanes in 2014, while senior Alexis Mourning is back on the court after redshirting in the 2014 season.
“I am excited and ready to play full throttle,” Mourning said. “I can’t wait to play in a match again with the team.”
Mourning is the veteran Hurricane on the 2015 squad, heading into her fifth year with the program. The redshirt senior is an accomplished volleyball player, twice earning All-ACC honors, but she is eager to serve as a leader on and off the court.
“It’s definitely different because I have always had people in front of me or with me who were older or at the same level,” Mourning said. “It’s a lot of pressure, but I am up for the challenge and I feel good. I feel like I have stepped into that role and am working on being a better leader every day.”
Preseason All-ACC selection Olga Strantzali is one of six newcomers joining the Hurricanes in 2015 along with freshmen Lucia Pampana, Anna Haak, Kolby Bird, Codi Lee and Samantha Purnell.
“It’s so exciting,” Templeton said. “I can’t wait to play, especially with all the new girls we have. I’m looking forward to the competition and getting to play with all the girls. I am looking forward to seeing who can play well under pressure. I can’t wait to see how far we can go this year.
Miami opens the 2015 season on August 28 against Illinois State. The match, which begins at 7 p.m., is the first of three the Hurricanes will play in the season-opening Hurricane Invitational at the James L. Knight Sports Complex on the University of Miami campus. Admission is free to all Miami volleyball home matches in the 2015 regular season.
For all the latest information on Miami Hurricanes volleyball, follow the official Twitter feed, @CanesVB, or “Like Us” on Facebook at facebook.com/UMVolleyball. The program is also on Instagram.
