Norse return undefeated from Cali tourney

Luther women’s volleyball went undefeated at the UC-Santa Cruz tournament, posting wins over Santa Cruz and Occidental College (Calif.) Sept. 26 and against La Sierra University and West Coast Baptist College (Calif.) Sept. 25. They now stand with a 13-5 record after these four straight victories.

The Norse escaped the chilly Iowa weather for some California sun, if only for a weekend.

“We are just trying to give our girls a really good experience that will stay with them always,” Head Volleyball Coach Jane Gibbs said.

For the entire women’s team, including the coaches, these experiences allow the Norse to grow as a team and as a family.
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The coaching staffs look forward to each and every practice with this team,” Gibbs said.

This 2,000 mile trip served not only as valuable practice time but as a bonding experience as well.

“This helps our girls bond, which is a really big part of our program, and also helps us with recruiting,” Gibbs said. “Going to California, and winning, also gives us a sense of pride for Luther College, the IIAC and also Midwest Volleyball.”

By competing against teams outside the midwest, the Women have gained confidence that is essential for the remainder of the season and proved this with their five-set win Sept. 29 over highly-ranked Simpson.

“It gave us a common purpose, let us know we can compete against the best, wherever they are,” Gibbs said. “To come back and beat Simpson proves how mentally tough we are as a team.”

At the halfway point in the season, the team has performed well to date, with their winning record of 13-5.

“The team has been great so far, a lot of hard work has been put in,” said Coach Gibbs. “We continually keep getting better.”

The next home game is Oct. 21, against fierce conference rival Wartburg. A “Blue-out” theme will be on show for the Wartburg game, with fans encouraged to wear all blue in order to cheer on the Norse.