Lady Matadors volleyball hungry for return to NJCAA tournament

The 2022 Matadors volleyball team look to climb over the hump and reach national tournament

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Just less than a year ago, the Arizona Western College volleyball squad walked off the floor with a Region 1 title - but no NJCAA tournament appearance to show for it.

A loss in straight sets to New Mexico Military Institute in the 2021 Southwest District B Final left the Lady Matadors off the board in the national landscape.

Now in 2022, the goal is simple: get over the hump of the District title game and reach the national stage for the first time since 2016.

The new season opens a new chapter, but still holds onto a piece of the last one, bringing back half the team from last year - six of which are entering their third season from Covid eligibility.

"What's really cool is we have some third year kids coming in, so almost like a Junior feel," said Head Coach Lorayne Chandler. "We spent a lot of time talking in the spring about what we wanted to have happen over the summer and into the fall. And they are on board and ready to go."

Chandler enters her 8th year at the helm of this program and it has come with continued success - not having a losing season in her tenure.

With an experienced group, the message stays the same with their eyes on the prize - but the players are also familiar with the message that goes beyond volleyball, maintaining the idea of a collective group.

"I spend a lot of time talking to the girls about that I hope whenever they leave here, they are independent, strong women who don't take no for an answer," said Chandler. "I just want them to leave the program better than they were before."

It's also the great relationships that can also carry this team and this program to new heights. A group that has created a sisterhood together.

"With the experiences of our last two years, we knew that we wanted our last year here to be one to remember," said third-year Sophomore Kaylani Reis. "This group of girls we have is so unique and everyone gets along so well. On and off the court, we all have a great relationship."

It also helps that they have some fuel added to the fire in 2022 after coming up short last year.

"That was really our motivation and kind of our push to have the team that we have now. It was really hard for us," said Reis. "We sat down together and talked about what we want our next season to look like. We've been pushing ourselves hard."

And that's the sentiment passed down from the woman at the helm, as well - an attitude across the board that will not accept falling short of a national tournament appearance again.

"Obviously we have a long road ahead, going through these tournaments and our regular season but it's about making sure that the girls continue to have the eye on the prize," said Chandler. "We have spent numerous hours talking about where we want to be and how we want to get there. Just finishing at the District game is not going to satisfy this group. We are ready to make a run for the national tournament."

The Matadors kick off their new campaign on Friday in the Chapman Automotive Group AWC Volleyball Tournament at the House gymnasium - set to take on Garden City and Southern Nevada.

Following that, they will get an early season test with a trip to the Dalton Overstreet Invitational in Yavapai to take on New Mexico Military Institute - the team who ended their season a year ago.