Wittenberg’s volleyball team, which finished the last two seasons ranked No. 3 in the nation, took its game to another level as Head Coach Paco Labrador and his nationally ranked squad participated in a 12-day competitive trip to Spain.

Nineteen current Tiger players, Labrador, assistant coach Brittany Baume and team manager Kara Guss flew to Madrid on May 22, accompanied by “alumni and friends of the program.” They played a tri-match against semipro teams from Toledo and Alcobendas in Central Spain before heading north to the Rioja region to play two matches against provincial club teams and a match opposite the Spanish U-19 national team in Soria.

Using a mix of seasoned and inexperienced players in each match, the Tigers remained competitive throughout the five-match schedule. Wittenberg went a deceiving 1-4 on the trip, but Labrador was encouraged by his team’s ability to adapt to international rules and difficult playing environments.

“I like my players to be pushed outside of their comfort zone, and playing against internationally experienced opponents was an excellent way to achieve that,” Labrador said.

“Our last trip in 2003 was an incredible success,” he added, “and it was a building block for a record-breaking season later that fall.”

— Ryan Maurer