Q & A with Penn State Behrend Volleyball Coach Phil Pisano

What are your thoughts on your team at this point in your fall season?

We are 14-6 overall right now and 4-0 in the AMCC, which is right around where I expected us to be at this point.  We have had some really outstanding performances so far and also a few matches that we'd like to forget.  The biggest storyline to our season thus far has been how many injuries we've had to deal with.  We haven't had one day since preseason where we've had all our players healthy and most of the time we've had at least two potential starters missing.  It's been tough to deal with but I think the players have handled it well.   

Who is performing particularly well for the team right now?

Brooke Gallentine and Sheila Ogden are two junior starters who have held it together while others have been in and out of the lineup.  There has been more pressure on those two this season while our only senior Brittany Hennessy and classmate Carissa Johnston have been out of the lineup.  Also, we've gotten great contributions from our freshman class, as there have been a bunch of moments this year where that group has really come through for us.  Sophomores Danielle Woods and Aubry Regan have both taken on more responsibility this season as well.

How does the conference look this season?

Right now, Frostburg State, Pitt-Bradford, and Behrend are all undefeated in the AMCC.  Frostburg has been very impressive so far by playing a tough schedule and beating some great teams, and they'll be favored to win the title this year.  We are certainly in the hunt and I expect us to be in the mix during playoff time, especially if we can find some consistency with our lineup.  Pitt-Bradford has some talented players and looks to be getting stronger as the season goes on.    

What is the biggest challenge facing your team entering the second half of the regular season?

I think that a big factor for us will be getting healthy and figuring out our best possible lineup.  As I mentioned, we have played some great ball this year, but have not been tremendously consistent.  As we head into the heart of our conference season, this group will need to determine what kind of team we really want to be.  If we can get a healthy roster of players that are competing hard with each other in practice, that will go a long way toward us reaching our potential. 

What are your expectations for the end of the season and championships?

It feels like this team has the right mix of talent, experience, and chemistry to make a run at the conference championship.  That is where we hope and expect to be.  It certainly won't be an easy goal to accomplish but I believe our best volleyball of the season is yet to come.