Young Titan volleyball team has a way to go

If the first part of St. Petersburg College's volleyball season is any indication, the Titans still have some work to do to learn a new system with a new coach.

SPC is 7-9 after Thursday night's win over Suncoast Conference opponent South Florida Community College, and is 2-2 in the conference.

There are still plenty of matches left to make up ground and coach Teresa McLamb knows now is not the time to panic.

"We're running a very quick offense and it takes time for it to click," McLamb said. "The record isn't what we thought it would be but we're not playing too badly."

The Titans are young, even for a two-year college. Only four of the 13 players are sophomores. Those four, Louisa Scopacasa, Kaycee Huber, Ashley Humphreys and Cintia DeAlencar from St. Petersburg High have made major contributions.

But a new system coupled with inexperience have caused the Titans to stumble out of the gate. Freshman setter Kathy Kerner from Pinellas Park High has been a pleasant surprise.

But McLamb needs contributions from other freshmen, including local products Amy Wilson (Largo) and Bonnie Benton (Northeast).

McLamb, who came from Brevard Community College when that school shut down the volleyball program last season, brought some players with her.

Humphreys and Scopacasa both played for Brevard last year, and freshman Courtney Francese from Venice was recruited by McLamb at Brevard.

Getting the players to understand the new system is McLamb's priority.

"The chemistry on this team is very good," McLamb said. "It's a whole new team and it's going to take time."

SPC is hoping to improve on last season, in which it was 13-15, 4-6 in the conference. The Titans' best season in their six-year history was 1999-2000, when it finished 23-7 and earned a top-five state ranking.

The Titans resume conference play Tuesday with a home match against Hillsborough CC. Manatee CC visits Thursday for another conference match.

ECKERD ROUNDUP: The men's soccer team was 3-2 heading into Saturday's game at West Florida.

The Tritons have outscored opponents 21-16. Unfortunately for Eckerd,Lynn and Barry are off to hot starts. Lynn is 7-0 and has outscored opponents 26-3. Barry is 6-0 with a 21-3 goal differential.

Despite its start, Eckerd remains ranked 10th in the National Soccer Coaches Division II Southeast Regional poll.

The Tritons are hoping new coach Gregory Moss-Brown can lead them to a winning season, something that has happened only four times in 19 years. The women's team is having a rougher time.

The Tritons are 2-4 and fifth in the eight-team league. Eckerd has been outscored 12-5. The Tritons are tied for seventh in the NSC Division II poll.

Rollins was to play at Eckerd on Saturday in the first conference game for both schools.

The Tritons' volleyball team is 5-4. Conference play begins Friday with a home match against Florida Tech.

AROUND THE SSC: Florida Tech has added five athletic teams: women's soccer, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's golf.

Florida Tech, in Melbourne, will begin play in those sports during the 2003-04 seasons.

It now has teams in all 14 intercollegiate sports offered by the SSC.

University of Tampa senior Katie Calvin, formerly of Clearwater Central Catholic, was named the conference's women's soccer offensive player of the week after scoring a goal each in games against Rollins and North Alabama.

Calvin transferred from LSU after starting at CCC for four years.

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