Introduction
Opportunity and question marks surround the Point Loma volleyball team heading into the 2019 season. The Sea Lions look to be outstanding on the second-touch with the return of the 2018 PacWest Setter of the Year Cara Keturakis, but they have some questions on the outside with the season-ending injury to the 2018 PacWest Freshman of the Year Rachael Schlect, who ranked third in the conference in kills. However despite the loss of Schlect, head coach Jonathan Scott believes his team has the talent to make up for this loss, maybe not just with one person but by becoming stronger and more cohesive as a unit.
 
Camp/preseason
Throughout the first two weeks of camp, the Sea Lions have come together on and off the court. With their through their early morning training, trips to the beach and just spending their time together this group of women has come together to form a team.
 
"I've been very impressed with the character (of this team) and how naturally they've formed a new team identity and culture," said coach Scott. "It has been excellent. A big part of that first piece is due to the returners, and especially our captains Cara (Keturakis) and Madie (Fox). They have done a great job of leading by example in many ways. This team is pretty much half new if we are going to compare to last fall, and they have done a really great job of integrating everybody together."
 
Returners
The Sea Lions return seven student-athletes from their 2018 team. In addition to Keturakis being back at setter, PLNU will also have Madie Fox, Sophie Wingert, and Tate Duane back as middle blockers, Courtney Dyer returning as the libero with Jaime Cymbaluk and Ashlynn Fresques handling the right side. All seven started at least one match last season and saw action in PacWest play. They will be counted on to lead the newcomers through their actions off the court, and with their emotions and communication on it.
 
Newcomers
To supplement the seven returners coach Scott added eight newcomers (five freshmen and three transfers). Grace Hicks (MB), Alexis Soncrant (OH), Claire Smith (S), Nyah Brown (DS), and Torina Hommes (OH) comprise the freshman class. The transfer class is comprised of Tylie Johnson (OH) from Long Beach City College, Tressa Buckland (OH) from UAB's beach program and Flavia Virgili (DS) from Cal State San Bernardino. These eight newcomers helped raise the level of talent on the team and will provide coach Scott more options in the rotation.

"We have several new players or newish players from the spring whom all could legitimately start, so we are battling it out in practice right now," explained coach Scott. "It could be one of those years where it is going to be a grind all season long for who gets a job or who keeps it. That's exciting as a coach."
 
Setters
Cara Keturakis returns for her fourth season as the starting setter for the Sea Lions. Last year she earned first team All-PacWest and PacWest Setter of the Year honors after leading the league in assists (1061) while adding 133 kills and a .283 hitting percentage. PLNU also brought in freshman Claire Smith, who may redshirt this season as she learns under Keturakis and the Sea Lions' system.
 
"This is our last year together," said coach Scott about Keturakis. "I am very excited for her but also very sad that it's almost over, and that has nothing to do with her ability. I believe that she is going to have a really great senior season and that this is going to be a special season for her. She is already beyond where she was at the end of last year when she was clearly one of the best setters in the country. It's going to be an exciting final year."
 
Outside Hitters
With the loss of Schlect and Cymbaluk possibly moving over to the right side, the Sea Lions will be looking to find the starting outside hitters for the season. The list of potential candidates right now includes transfers Tylie Johnson and Tressa Buckland, along with freshmen Alexis Soncrant and Torina Hommes.
 
"The outside position is the big unknown," explained Scott. "(Jaime) has been an outside hitter for the past two years and she could be outside, or right side. If she does end up on the right side that means we will probably have two brand new outside hitters. It could be two freshmen, or it could be a grad student. We just aren't at that decision yet."
 
Right Side Hitters
Currently, Ashlynn Fresques and Jaime Cymbaluk give PLNU a couple of options on the right side. Both have played there in the past and will provide leadership and experience while on the court.
 
"I think we are in a really good place with the options we have on the right side," said Scott. "I think that will be a very strong position for us whichever way we go." 
 
Middle Blockers
Tate Duane, Sophie Wingert and Madie Fox all return for the Sea Lions as middle blockers. Last season, Fox started all 21 matches in which she played and averaged 1.97 kills per set with a .292 hitting percentage to lead the returning trio. They will be joined in the middle by freshman Grace Hicks.
 
"This unit is very similar to the right side as I believe it will be a very strong position for us this year," noted coach Scott. "Having Cara on the court doing what she does with several good middle options and right side options, I think we will be a very physical team."
 
Defensive Specialists/Liberos
Courtney Dyer will be back to anchor the libero position, but coach Scott often likes to have two defensive specialists on the court. He will look to Flavia Virgili and Nyah Brown to provide valuable minutes and help tighten up the Sea Lions' defense.
 
"Courtney is the returning Libero, and she is acting like it," added coach Scott. "I'm not saying she is a shoo-in for the jersey, but she is doing a great job. We have got several other defensive specialists that give us so many options. Part of this rotation will also depend on who our hitters end up being."
 
Schedule
Point Loma has a full schedule on deck with 30 games on the calendar. It will open with its annual Seaside Tournament before going to the D2West Region Showcase, hosted by Cal State San Bernardino. After those first eight matches, the Sea Lions will jump into their 22-match PacWest schedule.
 
"It's nice to have our tournament again," Scott said. "It's nice to host the Seaside Invite once again after not being able to last year. After that first weekend, we basically go on the road for two months. Almost every one of our matches is on the road during the first half, and every match is at home in the second half. We will look at that with optimism. We will go in and take some teams by surprise and their place early, and hopefully we will have a pretty decent record coming into the end of the year where we can solidify that this is our season at home."
 
Goals
Coach Scott and his team have goals for the season, but he knows that in order to achieve any of them it starts with commitment in practice every day and the personal desire to make sacrifices for their teammates.
 
"The goal we talk about every single day is to get better today, and that is our team goal that we constantly come back to," Scott explained. "Make no doubt about it we want to win the conference, and we believe we are good enough to win the conference. However, we don't talk about it all that much, but it is something that is there, and we are not going to ignore it either.
 
"This is a season where we can do really great things," he added. "Hopefully we can handle business in our tournaments and then take care of business our conference as well."
 
Keys to the season
Coach Scott and the Point Loma volleyball team know more than most that preparation, planning and recruiting can only take a team only so far, but eventually, a little luck must be involved. In recent years the Sea Lions have been on the wrong side of that as they've had to deal with a significant injury each season. This year they are working through the loss of Schlect, but that came in the spring and allowed PLNU a little more time to adjust, and hopefully, coach Scott was able to find and plug in the right pieces.
 
"Every single year one of the keys to the season is health," Scott explained. "That has definitely been our Achilles Heel so to speak of in recent seasons. If we are healthy, I believe we can hang with anyone on our schedule. That's the way we have been playing these first few days of practice."
 
Conclusion
If the Sea Lions can have someone step up on the outside, and get a little luck avoiding the injury bug, they could be primed to return to the NCAA West Regional for the first time since 2015.