The Red and Black

Issue date: 8/29/08 Section: Sports

McCARTNEY

Who better to beat for a milestone victory than your in-state rival? And what better stage than your season and home opener in which to do it?

That is the opportunity that lies ahead for the volleyball team and head coach Joel McCartney - and his 299 career wins.

"I haven't even thought about it and I don't want to sit here with false humility and say it doesn't mean anything to me," McCartney said. "It would be a very special moment, especially against Georgia Tech."

The Bulldogs have the chance to start their season off right when they host the Bulldog Invitational at the Ramsey Center, starting with the Yellow Jackets at 7 p.m. and concluding with matches against Furman and Georgia State on Sunday at 12:30 and 7 p.m. respectively.

"I feel like we are close and I feel like the opening match against Georgia Tech will be the right kind of match to start the season off with a bang." McCartney said.

Last season Tech handed Georgia its first loss of the season after an eight-game winning streak. The Dogs are hoping to exact some revenge on their home floor.

"We want to win this time because we deserved to win last year," said sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Gehan.

However, McCartney feels that he has added a responsibility to his job description.

"I feel like my job this whole week has been to tap (the nerves and excitement) down in training ... I just want to come out composed and I feel that if we do that we will have a good chance to come out in the match and win it. But if nerves get the better of us than its gonna be a long night."

Expectations are high for the season with the return of several key players, including preseason All-Southeastern Conference first team selection Maria Taylor, and six talented incoming freshmen led by outside hitter Ann Dylla, setter Kathleen Gates and libero Carla Tietz.

This season's sole focus is to earn that elusive spot in the tournament.

"I think that we have an opportunity to make it to the NCAA's this year and we will do our best to get there," said Dylla.

After playing eight of the first nine matches on the road to begin last season, Georgia will play four in a row at home to start the 2008 campaign.

"Yeah, I think (our chemistry is) real good. I think its way better than it was last year already at the beginning of this season," Gehan said. "And I know when we start playing games it will be even better because we will have that on-court experience together, and it will just keep growing, starting (tonight)."

Georgia knows in order to reach the NCAA tournament it must play well from the first match.

"(Georgia Tech) probably runs the fastest offense out there if we're not running it ...they are a veteran team and that is a team heading for the tournament."

McCartney said that Furman will be a "very difficult" opponent for his team because they feature a very different style of play than either Tech or Georgia State.

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