Published August 24, 2008
The Charlotte Observer
Charlotte Latin's volleyball team will go for a fifth straight state championship this season. Coach Suzie Pignetti said it's going to be harder to do than the previous four.
“We lost a lot of our team,” she said. “We had to replace a lot of people and we're young. People think you reload all the time. We just take the ones we have. We've got a group of kids that like to hustle and practice and live up to the tradition if they can. They won't fall short for effort.”
There are four new players and nine returnees from last year's 29-1 team. Weddington interrupted Latin's 68-game win streak last season, but the Hawks started a new streak.
Latin has won 30 straight, including their first four this season before playing in the N.C. Super Six Tournament in Greensboro, along with N.C. 4A runner-up Myers Park.
After graduating many key players from last year's team, Pignetti has had to move around her players.
Junior McCallie Jones is a Division I recruit as a setter, but will move to outside hitter. Sophomore Delaney Dalton – who is part of the Charlotte Teal, a national competitive cheerleading team – will be the team's primary setter.
Senior Liza Price, a two-time all-state player, will anchor the team. She led the team in assists, digs and aces last year. She was third in kills. Price had a triple double in the state championship match against Country Day last year: 22 assists, 18 digs, 13 kills.
Price is the team's co-captain with senior outside hitter Jordan Ciminelli.
“We've got a lot of work to do,” said Pignetti, 588-141 overall and 132-5 the past six seasons. “We'll be better towards the middle and end of the season than we are right now.
“But we're holding our own and we just have to give it time and patience. I think we'll be alright.”
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