The Bakersfield College volleyball team has played in two tournaments, six matches, and had to deal with the postponement of a game against Cuesta College, all of which have come on the road for over a three-week period.
During the span of eight games, the Renegades have a 3-5 record.
Their most recent game was a loss to the number 10 team in the state, Santa Barbara City College, which came 3-0 by the scores of 25-11, 25-18, 25-19.
Of the extended road trip, head coach Carl Ferreira felt the team gained some experience from the games.
“I felt as a team we played awesome. We’ve had an outstanding learning curve,” he said.
“I think we came out of those two tournaments not even close to being the same team we went in as. We learned a lot about ourselves, and it affects how we prepare, how we change our behavior and even how we approach certain things.”
The Renegades have an upcoming home game on Oct. 8. against the 4-6 College of the Canyons Cougars.
Ferreira was looking forward to finally being back at home.
“It’s always fun to play at home, it’s always better to play at home,” he said.
“It tends to be better because it’s your gym, your fans, so it will be exciting when that happens.”
During the extended time away, sophomore transfer student Mary Maiocco suffered a sprained ankle. Ferreira was frustrated to have lost a key player on the team.
“Sports, I hate to say, is kind of the same. Injuries are apart of it,” he said.
“You don’t prepare for them but when it happens you’ve got to focus on what you have, not what you don’t have. Any time you lose a good player it will affect you but that’s the mentality you have to have.”
As she is slated to return by the home game, Ferreira was glad that Maiocco has been teaching the younger players in the mean time.
“Thankfully, the doctors cleared her but she will get limited time, but Mary has really helped some of the other setters prepare in her absence.
“But the team’s got to keep going because the schedule keeps moving.
“So hopefully people are ready when the opportunity presents itself,” he said.