The Castleton University women’s volleyball team started off the season with a record of 3-3, which has already surpassed the team’s win total from last year when they won a mere two games.

However, all six games the Spartans have played have all ended in a minimum of three sets.

Leading the Spartans this year is newly named head coach Lindsay Bynon, who has spent the past five years as director and coach of the Spike Mountain Volleyball camp hosted at Castleton.

Bynon also won two state championships playing for Burnt-Hills Ballston Spa High School.

She then played two years at Nazareth College where she would accumulate 269 digs and 31 services aces as a defensive specialist.   

Despite the team’s success, one thing that Bynon kept mentioning was that the chemistry among the girls isn’t quite there yet.

“These girls all come from different backgrounds so we’re still working on getting together on the same page,” she said.

All eyes this season should be on junior setter Bre MacDuff. MacDuff comes to the Spartans after spending the past year at SUNY Adirondack.

In her first game, MacDuff had a career-high 18 Aces only to break the previous record the next day with 19.

“I honestly had no idea that I had broken a record, I don’t think about stuff like that,” she said.

Castleton took a tough loss in their home opener when they went up against SUNY Cobleskill, losing in straight sets 25-20, 25-18, 25-19.

However, the Spartans would bounce back on Saturday against Bay Path where once again MacDuff would lead the team with 18 service aces.

Junior middle hitter Shannon Manchester lead the team on the attacking end with 15 total aces.

Expect an improved season from the Spartans volleyball team as they have looked promising in their first six games of the season.

The Spartans will begin a five-game road trip starting Saturday, Sept. 14 when they travel to NVU-Johnson.