After nearly splitting its nonconference schedule, volleyball is eyeing its Atlantic 10 slate.

The Colonials (6-7) open their conference slate Saturday with a similar nonconference record as last season’s team. Players said the team has improved their serve receive, passing and blocking during nonconference play – skills they will continue to refine in preparation for their conference schedule.

The squad ended its 2018 campaign 11-15 on the season and 5-9 in A-10 play, just short of qualifying for the A-10 tournament. The Colonials entered last year’s conference schedule with six wins and five losses under their belt.

Senior setter Jameson Lee said the team has learned to rely on each other to endure rough patches, which players experienced last season when they dropped eight games in a row.

“We’ve learned that we’re a lot steadier than we have been in past seasons so we’re more connected and when things start to get rough, we have that ability to rely on each other,” Lee said.

The Colonials faced 13 nonconference opponents over the course of four tournaments. In its first games of the year, the team collected two wins in three games at the D.C. Challenge Aug. 30 and Aug. 31.

The team hit the road to take on Miami, FGCU and Auburn at the Hurricane Invitational Sept. 6, Sept. 7 and Sept. 8, respectively. The squad lost all three matchups in the tournament but was determined to adopt and maintain a mature mindset despite its slow start to the season.

At the Pirate Invitational Sept. 13 and Sept. 14, the Colonials got back on track, winning two of three games. In their third game on the Smith Center court, the Colonials downed Albany Sept. 15, giving them a two-game win streak heading into their final tournament of the season.

While in Texas for the Creeds and Crests Tournament Sept. 20 and Sept. 21, the Colonials opened the road trip with a win but dropped its next two matches to end its nonconference slate.

Lee said preparation for nonconference competition is difficult because the team has a relatively short period of time – about one or two days – to prepare to take on multiple teams. In conference competition, she said the squad only needs to prepare for two teams per week.

“It’s a lot harder when we are in these nonconference games because we play so many teams in one weekend so we have to prepare for three teams in one day,” Lee said.

The squad will compete in 14 conference games this season. GW will face each A-10 team once and will take on George Mason, La Salle, Duquesne, Saint Louis and Dayton twice in home-and-home series.

The Colonials are currently 0-3 on the road and 3-1 on their homecourt. Outside hitter Skylar Iott said playing in unfamiliar gyms is typically challenging in nonfoncerence competition, but the team has made regular trips to A-10 courts and is familiar with the envionment.

“I think any time that you play in a gym that’s not your own, you’re going to face adversity and it’s about overcoming that,” Iott said.

The Colonials are ranked third in the A-10 in blocks, averaging 2.4 per set, and second in service aces with 1.6 per set. Iott said the team has emphasized improving its serve receives, serves, passes and blocks and worked to foster stronger sportsmanship.

“Our main takeaway is taking that progress that we’ve had in the nonconference and bringing that forward in the conference,” Iott said.

Head coach Sarah Bernson said that while the team is in a similar position record-wise as last season, the team’s execution this year has made the team a threat to competition. Bernson said as more teams scout GW, the better the Colonials can learn where their weaknesses are.

“We’re in a better place team-wise with just the system and execution that teams have to scout us a bit more and they have to have a plan to beat us, which therefore shows us our weaknesses and allows us to get better in the gym,” Bernson said.

She said the Colonial’s first conference foe of the year, George Mason, typically likes to run its offense at a quick pace and its squad includes difficult outside hitters. She said the team should execute strong defense and transition into its offense against the Patriots.

“Our ability to defend that and then transition to our own attack is a big pushing point for us this week,” Bernson said. “If we don’t block them, we’re going to dig and turn around and score on that next point.”

The Colonials are back in action at the Smith Center Saturday against George Mason to open conference play. First serve is at 5 p.m.