Volleyball trying to save season

The USF volleyball team desperately needs a win. Make that quite a few wins.

The Bulls (1-13, 0-6 Big East) are on track to have the worst season in school history and don’t seem to be improving after dropping two more matches over the weekend to Big East rivals Rutgers and Villanova.

Coach Claire Lessinger believes that a lack of team chemistry is a major reason for her team’s dismal performance this year.

“We’ve had a thousand different lineups this year, and the inconsistencies of getting the right people on the court at the right time and finding that consistent leader – all that stuff has contributed to the overall result,” Lessinger said. “We’re very inconsistent in everything we’re doing right now.”

About the only thing that has been consistent for these young Bulls is losing. USF has won only once this season, and that came against a mediocre UCF team on Sept. 16. The Bulls haven’t recorded a victory since and remain winless in Big East play.

Lessinger knows the team must take the initiative in the match and stop making so many unnecessary mistakes.

“In order to maintain leads and pull off a win, you have to remain consistent, and that’s exactly the problem,” Lessinger said. “We get halfway through the game, and whether it’s a string of errors or whether it’s a letdown by someone offensively or by us defensively, that’s letting the other team back in. And when we do that, our opponents are coming in with a lot more confidence to start with – and we just give them the momentum, we just hand it to them.”

Although the team seems to be stuck on a downward spiral, the play of Johari Williams remains a positive for the Bulls. Williams had 11 kills and led the team in total blocks against Villanova on Sunday.

Lessinger said it’s only a matter of time before the team reaches its full potential, because the Bulls have to win eight of their last 12 games to escape the dubious distinction as worst ever.

“We all need to believe as a unit we can do this and we can get this done,” she said. “It’s going to take steps, it’s going to take time, and it’s going to take patience. I just hope for (the team) and everyone that it will result in a win here soon.”