Roadrunner Women’s Volleyball Wins First Conference Championship

Congratulations to RoadrunnerWomen’s Volleyball Team and head Coach Rebecca Pierson for winning the GardenState Athletic Conference Championship (GSAC) on Oct. 12—the team’s first statechampionship victory. />
FollowingSaturday’s 3-0 triumph over visiting Brookdale Community College, Pierson lether team in on a little secret — they had just clinched a share of the GardenState Athletic Conference championship.

“Wethought we would just let them play the game and then hopefully tell them thegood news later,” said the smiling coach afterwards.

In justher fourth season at the helm, Pierson has guided her Roadrunners to the college’sfirst-ever GSAC title. The Runners, who swept all three sets by scores of25-23, 25-20, and 25-21, improved to 11-5 overall and 6-1 in the GSAC to sharethe crown with Raritan Valley Community College. The victory was their eighthin a row.

With justone sophomore on the roster, Pierson’s team began the season with a 1-4 recordagainst tough regional competition. But then team members banded together towin 10 of their next 11 as well as a share of the GSAC title.

“Theseyoung ladies didn’t know each other at all when the season started, but theyreally came together,” said Pierson who guided the program to its firstRegion XIX playoff berth last season. “We are so proud of theirachievements and the hard work they put in all season long to get where theyare today.”

There wereplenty of heroes Saturday, starting with freshmen standouts Katie Burrichter (libero, Our Lady ofMercy) and Lauren Coffey (setter, Williamstown).

“Wenever played as teammates, but we had played against each other in high schooland in traveling leagues,” said Burrichter. “We got to know eachother well pretty quickly — turns out we make a great team.”

Ditto,said Coffey, who did not play her first game until several matches into the2019 season.

“WhenI arrived, I knew a lot of the players, just not as teammates,” she said.”This has been a great experience.”

Alsoplaying key roles were sophomore setter Taylor Caldas (Gloucester Catholic),outside hitter Lina Russo (Cherry Hill), outside hitter Macenzie Long (Williamstown), middlehitter Syasia Bryant (Arts High Newark), andright hitter Samantha Kosche.

The team has earned a top-3 seed inthe upcoming NJCAA Region XIX Tournament.

For more information about RCSJ sports, visitRCSJ.edu/athletics