CSI Volleyball opens season with high expectations

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The College of Southern Idaho volleyball program has won 12 national championships, with the last one coming in 2018.

This year’s team starts its season Friday, and head coach Jim Cartisser says this squad feels similar to the one five years ago.

He also says this team will be better in all facets in comparison to last year’s 16-13 squad.

“Pass and serve game to us is kind of like the offensive/defensive line in football,” Cartisser said. “If you don’t have a good offensive/defensive line, it doesn’t matter how good your backfield is, you’re going to struggle, and I feel the biggest improvement we made so far this year is in our pass and serve game, and that’s what wins you national championships.”

The Golden Eagles start their season at a tournament in Salt Lake City Friday. They will be tested, playing the first, third, and seventh-ranked teams in the country in two days.

It’s a good thing CSI won games against nationally-ranked squads like Salt Lake Community College and Snow College last season in the tough Scenic West Conference.

“Being able to win some of those games last year where we thought we might not have been able to help give me the motivation to tell the teammates, it is possible, it is hard work, but we can do it as long as we stick together as a team,” said sophomore Jojo Robinson.

“I think we’re pretty strong all around, we have a lot of really good hitters, a lot of good defensive players, but I think our team compatibility, we play really well as a team,” said sophomore Addison Fullmer.

Expectations are high for sophomore middle blockers Annie Nikolnikova and Danea King, as well as outside hitters Alizaysha Sopi and Valentina Sarti-Cipriani.

CSI plays (7) Trinity Valley at 10 a.m. Friday before facing off against the defending national champions, (1) Florida Southwestern State at 2 p.m.

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