GC volleyball ended their regular season on Saturday, November 5. As the season was coming to an end, multiple players had opportunities to show off the hard work that they put in this season. One player is graduate student Rachel Machovec.

Machovec displayed all her skills the weekend of October 28, playing Lander University on Friday and Flagler College on Saturday and Sunday. While Machovec was effective in all three matches, Saturday’s match against Flagler was her most impressive performance yet.

Machovec recorded 20 kills and 21 digs in this match alone. This made her the second player in GC volleyball history to have a 20/20 match. In this match she also recorded her 1,000-career dig. This performance against her former team helped the Bobcats win this close conference match 3-2. 

Over the weekend, Machovec averaged 3.31 kills per set, 3.13 digs per set, and tallied 66 total points for the Bobcats. After this weekend Machovec’s PBC rankings are sixth in kills per set, seventh in digs per set, and fourth in aces per set. 

This performance from Machovec won her PBC Volleyball Player of the Week for the week of October 31. She is the first GC volleyball player to win this title this year, the last being Ally Hall who won this title November 9 of 2021. 

Machovec finished the regular season leading the team in kills with 246 and has the second most digs with 322.

“Definitely since last season, I have improved on my hitting,” Machovec said. “The coaching staff has really helped me fix technical issues with my swing that will help me hit harder and improve the health of my shoulder.”

This is Machovec’s first season here at GC. She previously played for conference rival Flagler until she graduated. This new change of environment has helped Machovec herself and the team.

“Rachel has made such an impact not only with being a great athlete, but she is also an amazing teammate,” said junior Callie Miller. “She is a very talented athlete that we can look to when we need a point in a tough game. She can always be counted on in those moments.”

Machovec has been playing volleyball since she started college. This experience gives her familiarity, knowledge and a phenomenal understanding of the game.

“Rachel has a very good volleyball IQ,” said senior Emily Long. “She knows when to make smart plays and studies her opponents thoroughly.”

The GC volleyball team is for the most part a younger team, with one senior, Long, and one graduate student, Machovec. 

“I think experience is something we really needed,” Miller said. “Most of our team is new and we have a lot of freshmen playing, so having an older teammate that is already a good leader is a good model for our younger teammates to see as they play. Her experience is a new perspective that we didn’t have.”

Machovec attributes much of her success to her teammates and coaches. Having a good group of people that supports you allows you to grow in many ways, which Machovec has found here at GC.

“At this point in the season, I’m proud of myself because I have found my confidence and comfortability in the sport again with this group of girls I play with,” Machovec said. “I could not be where I am at now mentally or physically if I didn’t have them by my side.”

Machovec has one more season to show off her skills and abilities here at GC. With the Bobcats losing in the first round of playoffs, it will not be until next year that Machovec and the rest of the team will be in action.