With last season’s 5-24 record in the history books, the Eastern volleyball team looks to start with a fresh slate in 2009.

The Panthers will begin their first tournament of the season this weekend at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Panthers play Kent State at 9:30 a.m. today, and will play the host IPFW Mastadons at 2 p.m. to start off the season.

Though the team had its struggles the past couple of seasons (17-41 in the past two seasons), optimism fills the air as the Panthers have found new direction: first-year head coach Alan Segal and assistant coach Katie Price.

“We have new coaches and great new players,” said returning sophomore libero Brittany Wallace. “With all the newcomers, we have extra middles, extra setters, and everyone is battling for a spot.”

Losing is not on Eastern’s minds as the team is more concerned about starting fresh, winning Ohio Valley Conference matches and working slowly but surely to change the mindset of Eastern volleyball.

Though this is the first tournament of the season, Segal is keeping calm under with a whole new squad.

“You don’t change things overnight,” Segal said. “You have to learn to play together and learn how to compete. If you don’t know how to compete, you don’t know how to win matches.”

Though the team’s starting lineup is not set in stone, Segal has an idea of what he would like the starting lineup to look like.

“I have an idea of eight or nine players who will be starting,” Segal said.

The IPFW Invitational will most likely play a factor in decisions for a starting lineup for matches later in the season.

Even with players battling for spots, the team is not worried about starting positions at the IPFW Invitational.

“Once the season gets started, we’ll think about it more, but it does keep everyone on their toes,” said junior outside hitter Alex Zwettler.

Like the rest of the team, Zwettler is concerned about starting new and gaining knowledge at the IPFW Tournament to help with the regular season.

“A fresh start is always a good thing, constant knowledge is being given to us, by coach Segal and coach Price,” she said.

Eastern rounds out the tournament with a match against Butler at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

The Panthers close out the tournament against Drake at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Kevin Maras can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmaras@eiu.edu.

Freshman middle hitter Alison Berens focuses on hitting the ball while serving it during the alumni match Saturday afternoon in Lantz Fieldhouse. (Audrey Sawyer/The Daily Eastern News)

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