When Lisa Parlich put on a North Dakota volleyball jersey her freshman year, she tried to keep her head down.

“I was terrified, coming in as a little 18 year old to these girls that are in their 20s and very good at what they do,” Parlich said.

But Parlich was quick to overcome her fears and is currently co-captaining UND’s volleyball team with fellow senior, Ronni Munkerby. The duo began their senior season with a scrimmage last Saturday, welcoming a six-member freshman squad to the team. Parlich and Munkerby wear “C’s” on their jerseys, but teamwork flows heavily throughout the court.

“We may be captains, but everyone has that role on the team,” Parlich said. “There’s no separation amongst us. We’re all there for each other all the time so it all works out pretty well.”

Parlich said she is determined to be a source of motivation on and off the court for her team, learning from previous captains that she had looked up to. She remembers what it was like to be an incoming freshman, and this year’s new additions have already proven to be valuable assets.

“I am very impressed with our freshmen,” Parlich said. “Usually we all come together for the first time and it’s a slower process with learning everything.

“They’ve really stepped up these last few weeks. I’m very impressed with them, they all have great attitudes and they’re all great volleyball players as well. They’re going to be great this year and in the future.”

With a break in action over the summer, the team still worked hard to prepare for the upcoming season — working out together, attending open gyms and captains practices and welcoming new members to the team. It’s a new atmosphere for some, but the freshmen are jumping into action.

“The thing with our freshmen is you can tell they’re not scared,” Parlich said. “They’re ready to go, which is great, because they’re contributing very well. It’s definitely a scary process, though.”

North Dakota saw its first action in an intrasquad Green-White scrimmage last Saturday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, giving the White team bragging rights with a 3-2 advantage over the Green team. Nikki Husfeldt contributed to the White team’s victory, tallying 10 kills, 14 digs and 45 assists. Three other members of the White team added double-digit kill totals.

While the Green squad wasn’t able to come out on top, junior Emily Asche took 67 swings and killed 18 balls to contribute to the team.

Competition continued for spots on the court, and a chance to scrimmage gave the team a look into what needs to be improved.

“Blocking is huge, along with getting kills,” Parlich said. “Just being smart and knowing where to place the ball and how to avoid errors. We want to avoid high error percentages this year and we need to focus on that.”

It’s the little things, but they add up to the ultimate goal — a championship. However, North Dakota is keeping its focus on the upcoming weekend.

“The obvious goal is to win the Big Sky championship, that’s on everyone’s mind,” Parlich said. “You just have to start by winning a game at a time. You can’t think too far ahead in the future, but we have to start by winning, and we’re putting in the little steps and preparation for that.”

UND will officially begin its season with the UND Classic on Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. After claiming the classic title the past two years, the team will look to stay on top for the third year in a row.

Elizabeth Erickson is the Sports Editor of The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].