Thompson credits recruiting for Cougars’ success

If there is one reason for the unprecedented success of the women’s volleyball team at the College of Alameda, it comes down to one word: Recruiting.

The Cougars are currently atop the Bay Valley Conference standings with an 11–0 record and 17–4 mark overall. It is the best record of any Peralta women’s volleyball team ever.

“It comes down to recruiting,” said head coach Linda Thompson, who is in her 10th year as head coach at COA. “We started to make a real effort about three years ago to bring some players here and got some good ones last season (2012).

“We wanted to maintain some consistency.”

Thompson talks about players like sophomore outside hitters Eboni Green, who is second in the BVC in kills (3.28 per set) and Emily Carver who is third in the kills (3.07).

Green came to the Cougars from Salesian High School, which has a strong program, and she also had a strong club background. Likewise Carver, who went to Berkeley High .

Middle blocker Christina Curry also is from Salesian and COA has players from Bishop O’Dowd and Encinal.

The Cougars’ early moment of truth came on Oct. 11 in a home game against Solano College, a team no Peralta squad has ever defeated. Down 2–0 in games, COA came roaring back to win three straight and won the match, 15–25, 19–25, 25–23, 25–14, 15–6.

It was a watershed moment for the program.

“No Peralta team had ever beaten Solano,” Thompson said. “Even down two games, we didn’t lose our confidence.”

It isn’t over for the Cougars. They have five BVC games left (as of press time), including a big rematch at Solano on Nov. 13. The Falcons (16–3, 10–1) are one game behind.

But the prognosis looks good for COA making the Northern California playoffs. If it happens, it will be another first in a season of firsts for the Cougars.