The Penn State Altoona Womens Volleyball player Kaitlin Cassaday (#6) spikes the ball into Penn State Harrisburg players Kristin Waring (#5) and Brittany Wolf (#9) in their 3-0 loss to Penn State Harrisburg.  Photo by Noah Riffe

Penn State Altoona Womens Volleyball player Alexis Cannistraci (#9) blocks a bump from Penn State Harrisburg player Kristin Waring (#5) in their 3-0 loss to Penn State Harrisburg.  Photo by Noah Riffe

By Monica Yost

The Women’s Volleyball Team suffered a home loss for the first time in almost a year Tuesday, September 11 as it started its regular season against Penn State Harrisburg. However, as outside hitter Kaitlin Cassaday said, “We’re gonna be champions this year.”

Two young women, Nicole Kiser and Kaitlin Cassaday, display the characteristics of a true team player. While Kiser plays as defender and Cassaday as an outside hitter, both girls have been involved with volleyball since childhood and played as Lady Lions during the last four years.

“Fourth grade was whenever bitty volleyball started for me,” said Cassaday. “We’ve both been playing since we could.”

Though the team is made up largely of newcomers, the girls have already shown that they are truly a team unit.  Kiser noted how, “every year new girls come in, we take them in and everyone gets close.”

The team is coached by Philip Peterman who has been coaching the Penn State women’s team for 11 years and the men’s team for 6 but previously played during his time at St. Francis.  

“Our new girls, they’re really making an immediate impact right away, making the older girls work hard and fight for starting positions which is what we want to see,” Coach Peterman said.

The team looks forward to their games against local rival Mount Aloysius on October 2 and last year’s champ Penn State Behrend on September 22.