There were many lasts in volleyball’s loss to the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets on Nov. 6. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament match was the team’s last game of the 2009 season, senior Bethany Hawks played in her 102nd and last match of her Guilford career, and the team made a good last impression on the eventual tournament champs, losing 25-23, 25-15 and 25-13.

By sneaking into the ODAC tournament as the last seed, the team proved that this year’s success was just the beginning of winning seasons to come.

“We are happy with the way the season turned out, but we’re not content,” said junior Kate Dailey.

Dailey noted that the team has already started working out for next season. “We don’t want to take time off, we want to make next year even better.”

The 2009 Quakers (12-15)(3-7) finished with a better record than the 2008 Quakers (7-23)(2-8), which doesn’t come at much of a surprise.

In the last four years, the team has successfully one-upped their conference win-total from the prior year. To continue this trend, or improve the trend by winning five or more conference games next season, the team will have to make-do without Hawks, last year’s senior-leader and “anchor.”

“We are going to miss Beth. Her hard work cannot be replaced,” said Dailey. “But everyone is working hard in the off-season to try to make up for her absence.” Hawks’ 394 assists and 359 digs in 2009 will certainly be missed in 2010, but the Quakers will count on their depth to match Hawks’ production.

One player who will carry some of Hawks’ workload in 2010 will be sophomore Taylor Phillips, whose 184 digs, 7.26-percent assists-per-game average and 95-percent serving percentage in 2009 earned her All-ODAC honorable mention.

Veterans such as Anna Miller and Courtney Kozar will look to lead by example in 2010. The two soon-to-be-seniors combined for 293 kills and 1,1235 assists last season. With strong defense, leadership and a talented 2009 first-year class coming back, the Quakers will switch roles. Instead of starting the season as the underdogs, the Quakers will be favorites; therefore, will have something to prove.

At the season’s end, Hawks has the last words.

“Value the time that you spend on the court because four seasons goes by really fast. Don’t take any practice or game for granted.