Schedule change results in Central State Lady Marauders opening season at Kentucky State on Friday
Due to travel implications relating to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Central State Lady Marauder volleyball team's original trip to open the season at the Nova Southeastern Invite in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has been canceled. The CSU Athletic Department administration and coaching staff moved quickly on Wednesday reaching out to schools to potentially explore possibilities for the team to compete this weekend. As a result, CSU will travel to Frankfort, Kentucky to play in the Kentucky State Volleyball Invitational held on Friday and Saturday.
"It is a difficult adjustment but it is one we have to make as a program. It is part of the way we have to operate in these unprecedented times," CSU head coach
Ray Lewis says. "The safety of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and the campus community remain our priority. While we will now play different opponents in a different location, our focus remains on having great practice sessions and preparing to be at our best this weekend."
The schedule change now has Central State opening the season up against rival Kentucky State University in a rare non-conference matchup at noon on Friday. Friday will be CSU's first competitive volleyball match in over 655 days due to Covid-19 and the cancellation of the 2020 season.
"While it isn't common to see a conference rival in your first match of the season, we will be ready and look forward to the opportunity to finally get back out on the court and compete," Lewis says. "This weekend will be a great test as we go up against three really strong programs."
Entering his first season as CSU's head coach, Lewis has been preparing a roster comprised primarily of freshman and sophomores.
"We have so much talent and our ladies have really worked hard over the last month of practice to get better each day. It's been great to see the progression of each player up to this point," Lewis says. "We have really played well in our preseason scrimmages and I think we are going to establish our reputation as a program that is on the rise. Our main focus is to remain as consistent as we can be as we head into our opening week of competition."
With the reshuffle of the schedule, CSU will play a total of three matches this weekend. After Friday's opening match against KSU, the Lady Marauders will play Maryville University at 2 pm. On Saturday, CSU will face West Virginia State University at 2 pm.
For the full 2021 volleyball schedule, visit -
https://maraudersports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule
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