Sept. 13, 2011
Sept. 1-3: As we drive home from the tournament "Moment for Life" by Nikki Minaj is playing in my headphones. As the song plays Minaj ends with this verse:"This is my moment, I waited all my life I can tell it's my time. Drifting away I'm one with the sunsets, I have become alive."
When I was thinking about what to write in this blog earlier, I thought that this verse captured the essence of this weekend. She goes on to say I wish I could have this moment for life and I think that everyone on our team would have to say that this is how we feel.
We arrived in Ft. Myers late in the afternoon on Thursday, went the gym for a short practice and then to team dinner. This tournament was big for us because we won last year and this year we started the weekend off with number three in the nation USC, the garnet and gold from California. With an early rise the next morning, we started our prep for USC: video, pre-game meal, serve and pass, treatment, meeting with Coach Dagenais and then game time.
Once the game has begun, the number three team becomes to us just like another team across the net; we forgot their ranking and just focused on our side of the net. Game 1: win to UCF. Game 2: win UCF, and with the continuance of the outstanding blocks, the unbelievable hustle and digs by the back row, the powerful swings from the front row and the great setting by Rachel led to the most beautiful moment when Tory tipped the ball short for the WIN in game three!!! We were in shock in what we had done, and I think I speak for all of us when I say this could be the best moment of our lives.
This win was so much more than a great "W" in the books, this win was for Kristin Fisher and Erin Campbell who put in the work and leadership years before. This was for Michelle Chatman, assistant head coach, who lost two national championships to USC when she played in college and to coach Dagenais who came from USC as an assistant coach. This was our moment to bask in the hard work of this year and years past. This was something that no one could take away.
As the aftershocks continued to ripple through our consciousness and the college volleyball community, we had to prepare for the next game against Furman. A very sturdy opponent who had a big win last weekend against Wisconsin, proved not to be unstoppable against your UCF Knights! A win in three!! What a sweet way to end the day!! But again, Saturday morning was game time. One more game to play against the home team Florida Gulf Coast to finish out the weekend. We took the floor calm and ready to play. With their rowdy fans heckling us from the stands, we came ready to win. With awesome numbers on the stat sheet, we took the FGCU Eagles in three. The end to a perfect weekend: 9-0, a defeat of the No. 3 team in the nation, and dessert a treat for sweeping the weekend).
Just as Minaj said "This is my moment, I waited all my life I can tell its time. Drifting away I'm one with the sunsets, I have become alive. I wish that I could have this moment for life."