SALEM — This week’s athlete spotlight focuses on freshman setter Celia Carbone (Lynnfield). During the
week Carbone and the Vikings faced Worcester State, Fisher College and UMass-Boston. During the three games, she combined for 21 digs, and an impressive 57 assists, 40 of them came this past Thursday against Fisher College at Twohig Gymnasium in an exciting win.
Carbone talked about playing in the first home match of her career on September 7, against Rhode Island College. “I was excited to play my first home game. I was ready to give it my all. Despite our loss, I still had a lot of fun playing with my teammates and we learned a lot from that game. I take every loss as a lesson. The crowd was super supportive; cheered for us even when we were losing, which is what really makes a difference. I get so excited when people come to see us and show support, especially my family and friends.”
Story by, Jose Rodriguez ’24, Staff Writer | Media & Communications
The freshman talked about her 40-assist performance against Fisher last Thursday. “Fisher was such an exhilarating game. As a team, we came in hungry. We knew what we had to do to compete with them and executed. During the game, I connected really well with my middles. They did an incredible job putting the ball where Fisher wasn’t and mixing it up when things weren’t working. We were aggressive and didn’t play scared. That made the whole difference.”
Carbone, who currently is studying biology, mentioned what kind of adjustments she made playing in her first season in a Viking uniform. “The biggest adjustment I have made is adjusting to the speed of the game. Now that I have more advanced players on both sides of the net, a fast and powerful offense is needed. It’s been scary and intimidating, but the only way I can improve is to expose myself to this level of play.”
The Lynnfield native started playing volleyball in her freshman year of high school. She mentioned, who inspired her to play the game of volleyball. “I was inspired by my now sister-in-law, Brook-Lynne, who played at Colby-Sawyer where my brother attended college. As they dated, we would go and watch her games, and it looked really fun, so I decided to give it a try.”
The rookie talked about the skills that she learned in high school that she is implementing as a Viking. “Besides the physical skills, I have learned how to be a leader from high school. As a setter, it is expected of you to know how to run your team. Game-intelligence, situational awareness, and versatility are all things I had to develop, and it was not easy! I also learned how to pick up my girls when it’s most needed. Volleyball is more of a mental sport than physical, where momentum leads teams to victory. Being that source of energy and craziness on the court is important to a team’s mood and overall performance.
An interesting story about Carbone is she wasn’t going to play volleyball for Salem State but that all changed for her when she met her teammates. That was a key part of her decision she states. “I was not initially planning to play volleyball in college at all, but I literally could not get away from the game. I wanted to stay close to home for college and commute, so I was really between, play at Salem State or club volleyball at Merrimack. As soon as I met the girls, though, I felt at home. I love them to death. They were really my deciding factor, and it excited me that I could be a real student-athlete in college.”
She expressed her routine before games and practice. “Regardless if it is a game or practice, I always make sure that I am stretching well and warming up efficiently before any sort of play. I’ll also listen to music to get myself in a pumped-up mindset before stepping on the court. We have a team tradition of practicing “Child’s Pose” at the end of our stretching to take some deep breaths and reset our brains before playing. Every day, in this position, I repeat to myself “I am going to have a good day. I am going to play as hard as I can.” I have found this to be super beneficial in my confidence. The only difference in my routine is that before games, I take everything a little more slowly to ease my nerves.”
The Vikings have a huge task in front of them. During this month they are going to be playing in five straight conference games that will be crucial for them to earn a playoff spot. “I believe that performing well in our stretch of conference-games will set the tone for how we can play throughout the rest of the season. It will not only give us a boost in the likelihood of making the postseason, but it will also give us the confidence we need to compete against these teams.”
She encourages younger people to pursue the sport of volleyball. “Do it. Volleyball is one of the fastest growing sports in the world for a reason. It’s powerful, it’s fast, and it’s fun. It has taught me so much more than just how to be an athlete. You will learn so many life lessons and develop great attributes through the game. It has also given me the best friends I could ever ask for, both in high school and college. Every volleyball player ‘loves volleyball.'”
She talked about her idols. “My biggest idol is Nicki Minaj. She is incredibly empowering to women and spreads a message of self-love and hard work. She preaches honesty, genuineness, and education! She has taught me how to stay true to myself while also remaining a warm and genuine person to those around me. I would love to meet her one day.”
A college team she would like to see in person is Nebraska. “I want to see Nebraska play in person. Their dynamic, their energy, their abilities, are truly just incredible. I believe I could learn so much from watching each and every one of them regardless of their position.
Her mom has also impacted her in such a unique way throughout her life she states. “My mom has made me the person I am today. She has taught me to love everyone and everything. I have been able to build a positive outlook on life because of her and am grateful for everything around me. Without her, I don’t know where I would be.
Carbone mentioned an interesting fact about her. “My favorite animal is a bunny, and I have a pet bunny named Poppy. I absolutely adore her. Second, my favorite place in the entire world is the beach. I love exploring tidepools and going on walks to find fun seashells. I think the diverse ecosystems that reside by the beach are so beautiful. Finally, I am super interested in the weather. I think the science of meteorology is so interesting.”
Salem State lost to Colby Sawyer (3-0) on Wednesday night, this Saturday afternoon the Vikings will host Bridgewater State (Noon)
