Joey Payeur
School obligations started early for Cassandra Moffitt and so far she’s passing with flying colours.
The Fort Frances resident got her introduction to post-secondary athletic life as she helped the Rainy River Community College Voyageurs’ women’s volleyball team to the final of an eight-team pre-season tournament in Fergus Falls over the weekend.
RRCC went 3-0 during the preliminary round before losing 2-0 (25-16/25-13) to the Bismarck State College Mystics.
Moffitt learned some valuable lessons from her first college matches while not looking out of place as a starter on the Voyageurs’ power-hitting front row.
“I think I played pretty good considering I’m just new to it at this level,” reasoned Moffitt, who was an integral part of the Muskies’ NWOSSAA championship team last season.
“Everyone on the team was really helpful and told you what to do,” she added.
“Nobody got mad at each other and everybody had fun.”
RRCC opened with a 2-0 win (25-17/26-24) over the host Fergus Falls Spartans, with Moffitt contributing five kills.
“We played Fergus Falls the day before in a scrimmage and it was the best we’d played together so far,” Moffitt noted
“The first set was good and the second, they really were in it, but we played our game and got a good result.”
The Voyageurs then swept the Vermilion Ironwomen by a 2-0 count (25-17/25-13) before doing the same to the Hibbing Cardinals (25-12/25-19).
The referee did the Cardinals no favour by getting on the wrong side of the Voyageurs during the second set.
“We were whistled for being out of rotation and we didn’t like the point getting taken away,” said Moffitt.
“We wanted to win it even more after that.”
The final against Bismarck State showcased the reasons the Mystics play in Division II of the National Junior College
Athletic Association, as opposed to Division III like RRCC.
“[Bismarck State] had really good players, tall, and moved the ball really fast,” noted Moffitt.
“They would switch up their hits on us.
“One time, they would hit it in one spot and the next time, they would tip it the opposite way,” she added.
“They always seems to put it in a place we weren’t.”
Voyageurs’ head coach Mel Millerbernd was encouraged by what she saw out of her first-year front-line threat.
““I was really pleased with Cassandra’s play,” Millerbernd lauded.
“She is adjusting to the faster pace of the collegiate game.
“She came through with some excellent serving at crucial times,” added Millerbernd. “Cassandra also had some nice hits from the outside.
“I am very excited about her potential.”
The Voyageurs will play their MCAC North Division regular-season opener tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the RRCC gym against the Itasca Vikings (Grand Rapids).
“I’m excited to play in front of family and friends but nervous at the same time,” Moffitt admitted.
RRCC then will host the Fond du Lac Thunder (Cloquet) on Saturday at noon.
