Polk State 3, CF Patriots 1 (Volleyballl)

The first home women's volleyball match in Central Florida Patriots history proved to be a letdown Wednesday as Polk State handed the team a four-set defeat, 26-24, 26-24, 23-25, 25-16.

Watch the broadcast of the game on Panhandle Broadcasting.

Fighting nerves produced by the historic occasion and dealing with injuries to a handful of key players, the Patriots struggled to find their rhythm as Polk pulled in front early and took the first two sets identical 26-24 scores.

CF seemed to find its stride in the third set, producing a series of kills to take the lead and claiming the set 25-23 when Brittany Toney's spike found an opening in the Eagles' defense and landed inbounds by inches. (Watch Toney's decisive point and the ensuing celebration in the video above).

That was the only moment of triumph for the Patriots, as the visiting Eagles calmly finished off CF in the clinching fourth set.

Sophomore Christine Pinder had 13 kills and 14 digs for CF, freshman Vanessa Benke added 14 digs and Toney 12 kills for the Patriots.

The setback was particularly disappointing after the Patriots' red-hot start to their debut season, a four-game sweep through FSC-Jacksonville's annual classic that included three in-state victories and a win over a nationally-ranked team in NJCAA No. 25 SCF-Manatee.

CF (4-1) takes to the road for a weekend visit to Wake Technical CC in Raleigh, N.C. The Patriots return home Tuesday, hosting Pasco-Hernando at 7 pm.

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CF Launches New Era of Patriot Athletics

College of Central Florida opened a new era of Patriot athletics Wednesday night with twin milestones: the unveiling of the renovated CF gymnasium and the inaugural home match of its new women's volleyball program.

A large and vocal crowd of Patriot supporters filled the revamped gymnasium as head coach Flavia Siqueira's team joined baseball, softball and men's and women's basketball in CF's five-sport athletics program. In the video above, the 13 student-athletes that make up the Patriots' inaugural volleyball roster enjoy their first introduction before a friendly home crowd.

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The Wait is Over: CF Volleyball Opening Night

Just 14 short months have passed since the College of Central Florida's District Board of Trustees gave final approval to create the CF Patriots women's volleyball program, adding an exciting and locally popular sport to CF's existing baseball, softball and men's and women's basketball teams. Since then, director of athletics Bob Zelinski, his athletics staff and countless other CF staff members, students and supporters have worked tirelessly to give the program the proper launch it deserves.

Tonight, those efforts are rewarded as the Patriots take to their home court for the first time in a gym that has undergone extensive renovations and upgrades, from the logo at center court to the new rows of seats surrounding it. And if early returns are to be believed, head coach Flavia Siqueira has assembled a team that will immediately join its Patriot counterparts as a model NJCAA program and an annual contender for postseason berths and championships.

See for yourself tonight as state rival Polk State tests CF's undefeated record. A ribbon-cutting ceremony begins at 6 pm; the match follows at 7. CF students and staff are offered free admission, as are local youth, club and high school volleyball players wearing their official team jersey. Children and seniors pay $2, adults pay $3.

The countdown timer at the top of www.cfpatriots.com is approaching zero. When it expires, a new era of CF Patriots athletics will have arrived.

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A Preview of CF Volleyball's Inaugural Season

The CF Patriots women's volleyball team puts its undefeated record on the line against Polk State at 7 pm tonight in the program's inaugural home match. Here's a look at the upcoming season:

Student-athletes: The inaugural CF roster features a compelling mix of proven college-level and international performers and elite prospects from the prep ranks.

Sophomore Christine Pinder comes to CF after a standout prep career in Gainesville and a promising freshman season at Division I University of Houston. She'll provide sophomore leadership alongside NJCAA veteran Gianesi Tarafa, who joins Patriots head coach Flavia Siqueira in making the move from Northwest College in Wyoming.

Nino Mukasashvilli and Eleanora Kazarian of Georgia and Carolline Reis and Vanessa Benke of Brazil have been tested on the rugged junior circuits of Europe and South America, giving them a nice jump on the rigors of college competition.

The debut squad also includes a host of first-year college talent from Florida and the Southeast. Hometown star Shellee Thomas joins Brittany Toney, Kylie Weber and Amber Wyborny as in-state stars set to transfer their high school success to the Florida college level. And Siqueira pulled some of the finest players from nearby states in Ellie Harp of Texas, Rebekah Reeves of Alabama and Jordyn Wright of Georgia.

Coaching: Siqueira was an NCAA All-American as a player who continued her winning ways as a coach at the NJCAA level. She guided Northwest College to 90 victories, a district championship and a national tournament berth in her three-season run. Her vast experience as a player and a coach and her unmatched focus and intensity make her an ideal leader for the launch of Patriot volleyball. Read her full bio.

Standout international player Paulo Marion serves as the team's assistant coach, while former Ocala Meadowbrook Academy head coach Bert Thomas has joined the program as a volunteer assistant.

Game play: Volleyball matches are a best-of-five series of games. The first team to score 25 points wins a game; the first team to win 3 games wins the match. Each game must be decided by at least two points; a 25-24 game will continue until one team leads by two. The decisive fifth game of a match, if necessary, is played to 15.

Patriot fans who need a quick primer on volleyball may benefit from these useful links describing the sport's rules and positions.

Schedule and Postseason: NJCAA volleyball is played entirely in the fall semester, beginning with its first regular-season games in late August and continuing through the NJCAA Tournament in early November.

As with CF's four other sports, the Patriot volleyball team is a member of the Mid-Florida Conference, where it will encounter Lake-Sumter, St. Johns River and defending champion FSC-Jacksonville in a quick six-match schedule. The regular-season champion and runner-up of the MFC join the top two teams from the Southern, Panhandle, and Suncoast conferences in an eight-team state tournament.

The state tournament is divided into two regions: the Atlantic includes the MFC and Southern conferences, while the Gulf includes the Panhandle and Suncoast. The winner of each single-elimination, four-team regional tournament advances to the NJCAA Tournament in Missouri.

In short, CF needs to finish in the top two of the MFC and win two state tournament games to qualify for the national tournament.

Competition: FSC-Jacksonville represents the Patriots' toughest obstacle in the MFC. The Stars reached the national tournament in 2010 and enjoy a No. 12 ranking in the preseason NJCAA Top 25.

Should they advance to the state tournament, CF will likely encounter the state's dominant program in Miami-Dade. The Southern Conference behemoth finished sixth in the nation last year after an undefeated regular season and occupies the No. 2 spot in the NJCAA preseason poll.

Other nationally-ranked teams in Florida include No. 22 Hillsborough and No. 25 SCF-Manatee. St. Johns River claimed the MFC's other state tournament berth in 2010.

Bottom Line: Florida is home to several elite NJCAA programs, and none are eager to cede ground to an upstart team like the Patriots. But Siqueira is a proven winner used to competing at this level, and she's assembled a talented squad with the potential to make an immediate impact.

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CF Baseball Lands NCAA Transfer Justin Burgess

Central Florida added an NCAA-tested outfielder to its 2011-12 baseball squad with the signing of Justin Burgess.

A 6-0 right-handed hitter, Burgess appeared in 33 games as a freshman at Division II Montevallo. He was a prep star at Tampa First Academy, where he made hit over .440 in each of his final two seasons and earned consecutive all-conference selections.

Burgess should play a prominent role in a Patriot lineup built around returning sophomores Christian Coburn, Yoenny Gonzalez, Scott Schaub and Josh Whitchurch and an impressive recruiting class.

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CF Patriots 3, St. Johns River 0; CF 3, Lincoln Land 0 (Volleyball)

The newly-launched CF Patriots program continued to assert itself as an immediate force in NJCAA volleyball, completing a perfect four-match opening weekend with a pair of three-game victories in Jacksonville.

CF soundly defeated Mid-Florida Conference rival St. Johns River, last year's conference runner-up and a state tournament qualifier, 25-5, 25-10, 25-11. The Patriots also breezed through their second match against Nebraska's Lincoln Land, posting scores of 25-15, 25-12, 25-15.

(Note: An earlier article on CFPatriots.com incorrectly named Lincoln Land as CF's opponent in its second match Friday. The Patriots defeated Gulf Coast in that match. Click here for the corrected article.)

Freshman Vanessa Benke and sophomore Christine Pinder earned all-tournament honors for the Patriots.

With Friday's sweep of state rivals SCF-Manatee and Gulf Coast, the Patriots are off to a start that should erase any doubts about their immediate competitiveness as a program. The team is 4-0 overall, 3-0 versus in-state programs and 1-0 against MFC opponents. CF puts that record on the line against Polk State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in its inaugural home match.

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CF Patriots 3, SCF-Manatee 2; CF 3, Gulf Coast 1 (Volleyball)

The CF Patriots women's volleyball team enjoyed a perfect debut Friday with a pair of victories in Jacksonville.

The Patriots launched CF's newest intercollegiate athletics program with a win over a nationally-ranked state rival in SCF-Manatee. CF edged the NJCAA No. 25 team in a hard-fought five-game match, 25-14, 25-27, 16-25, 25-10, 15-12.

CF turned in a worthy encore performance in its second match of the day at the annual season-opening tournament hosted by FSC-Jacksonville, which in the coming weeks will defend its Mid-Florida Conference title from the upstart Patriots. CF handled state rival Gulf Coast in 4 games even after dropping the first, winning 18-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-16.

Vanessa Benke had 28 kills and Christine Pinder added 19 kills to lead the Patriot attack.

CF looks to stay perfect Saturday with another pair of games in Jacksonville. Its inaugural home game is set for Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. against state rival Polk State.

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Ocala.com: Patriots Set to Debut New Program

J.M. Soracchi previews CF's inaugural volleyball season for Ocala.com.

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Lady Patriots Sign Palm Beach Prospect Rona Gabriel

Central Florida has made a late but significant addition to its 2011-12 recruiting class with the signing of Palm Beach-area standout Rona Gabriel.

The 6-0 forward enjoyed an esteemed prep career at Palm Beach Lakes High School, earning all-area honorable mention as a senior while helping Lakes to a 22-7 record and a district championship. She was rewarded with a coveted spot in the Palm Beach County all-star game in March.

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CF Alums Holland, Smith Return to NCAA Level

Former CF Patriots guards A.J. Holland and Addison Smith have committed to NCAA programs. Upon their signings, all five members of head coach Tim Ryan's 2010-11 sophomore class will have found homes at the NCAA level.

Holland, a 6-2 guard out of Tuscaloosa, Ala., will continue his career at the University of Sioux Falls, a Division II program in South Dakota. He joined CF for his sophomore year after a season at Rice University, averaging 5.2 points and 3 assists per game while collecting a team-high 27 steals for the Patriots.

Smith, a 6-2 guard from South Florida's Santaluces HS, will stay in-state at Division II Flagler College in St. Augustine. He produced averages of 6.2 points, 2.7 assists and 2 rebounds per game as a CF sophomore after transferring from Florida-Gulf Coast.

Holland and Smith join Kevin Foster (Fresno State), Slobodan Miljanic (Lynn), and Mathiang Muo (Charleston Southern) as CF sophomores to graduate to the NCAA.

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Local Volleyball Players Offered Free Admission to Inaugural CF Match

Youth, club and high school volleyball players in College of Central Florida's three-county service area can receive free admission to the Patriots' inaugural women's volleyball home match simply by wearing their team's jersey.

Players in Marion, Citrus and Levy counties are invited to celebrate the launch of a new era of Central Florida volleyball on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 7 p.m. in the redesigned CF gymnasium. Head coach Flavia Siqueira and former Meadowbrook Academy standout Shellee Thomas lead the Patriots against state rival Polk State as CF hosts NJCAA volleyball action for the first time in its history.

The Patriots opened their debut season Aug. 26 and 27 with a four-game sweep through a tournament at FSC-Jacksonville, including three wins over in-state teams and one over a nationally-ranked opponent.

While admission for the historic match is offered free to local players, tickets to CF volleyball matches offer a remarkable value for all Patriot fans. Tickets for children and seniors are just $2, while adults pay $3. CF students, staff and faculty receive free admission to all athletics events with proper ID. Click here for the team's full 2011 schedule and here for a map to the CF gymnasium.

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CF Signs DI Volleyball Transfer Pinder

The Central Florida volleyball team continues to add talent as its Aug. 26 program-launching season opener nears.

The latest addition to the inaugural Patriot roster is Christine Pinder, a Gainesville Buchholz graduate and Division I veteran. The gifted 5-9 outside hitter comes to CF after a season at the University of Houston.

Pinder was an accomplished student-athlete with the Cougars, earning a spot on the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll while producing 74 kills and 60 digs in 43 sets.

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CF Hoops Lands Stetson Transfer Jacobo

Former Stetson University standout Luis Jacobo has signed with the CF Patriots.

A versatile 6-5 forward, Jacobo has been a Central Florida phenom long before signing with the Patriots. The Sanford native starred at Winter Springs High School near Orlando before playing a memorable freshman season for the Hatters in nearby Deland. 

A four-year varsity letterman at Winter Springs, Jacobo made an immediate impact at Stetson. He earned two Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Week awards, including the final such honor of the season after posting a career-high 28 points and 11 rebounds in a season-ending victory over Jacksonville. He ranked third on the team in scoring and rebounding with averages of 9.2 points and 4 rebounds per game.

The signing bolsters an already impressive collection of frontcourt talent for the revamped Patriots, a group that includes freshmen prospects Jeremiah Eason and Eugene McCrory, fellow Division I transfer Will Saunders and incumbent center Alhaji Fullah.

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Video: CF Volleyball's First Home Practice Session

The new CF Patriots women's volleyball team conducted its first practice session in the redesigned Patriot gymnasium on Monday.

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CF Volleyball Opens Practice

Central Florida's fledgling women's volleyball program enjoyed another milestone on Monday with its first official fall practice session.

The program was approved last June by the CF District Board of Trustees, setting in motion the work of building an NJCAA volleyball team from scratch. Accomplished player and proven head coach Flavia Siqueira was hired as the program's first head coach in November; soon after, the team's first signees were announced. More new talent followed, including Marion County star Shellee Thomas and Texas standout Ellie Harp, to form the team's current nine-player roster. Workers are now putting the finishing touches on a major renovation to the CF gymnasium, which hosts the home games of the Patriot volleyball and men's and women's basketball teams.

CF volleyball's inaugural game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 26 in Jacksonville. The team's first home appearance follows on Wednesday, Aug. 31, a 7 p.m. match against Polk State. Follow the countdown in the left column of CFPatriots.com, and visit the site often in the coming weeks for comprehensive coverage of the launch of Patriots volleyball.

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