After falling just short of a playoff berth last year, the Vikings are off to a promising start to the volleyball season.  

DVC cruised past Merced, beating the Blue Devils 3-0 on Saturday and improving its preseason record to 9-0. 

With victories over 2008 playoff teams Shasta and San Francisco City colleges, the Vikings were a confident bunch heading into their Big 8 Conference opener Wednesday against Modesto Junior College. 

Results of the game were not available at press time. 

Of the nine victories, five of the teams they beat made playoffs last year.

“So being able to beat all of them is a benefit to us,” said coach Jackie Ponciano-Babb. 

With four returning sophomores, including All-Conference selection Jenny Kawakami, coupled with a good group of freshman, the Vikings have a strong core of players. 

“It’s nice that the freshman came from a good background,” Ponciano-Babb said.  “Meaning they came from clubs and played for a successful high school.” 

DVC will have a tough road to get to the post season, given the strong conference schedule it must get through. 

Perennial playoff teams Santa Rosa and Sacramento City are always tough matchups with Sierra and Delta lurking behind them. 

But more than the schedule, the Vikings will need to heal up before conference games begin. Sophomore setter Lilia Marcic is out with a rotator cuff injury and middle hitter Holley Morris has an ankle sprain. 

“When they come back, we are definitely a better team,” Ponciano-Babb said. “But as long as we play like we did against Shasta with that lineup we will be fine.” 

Both Marcic and Morris are out for two weeks but should be back in time for DVC’s first conference home game Oct. 2 against Sierra College. 

With the early successes, the Vikings have an eye on their ultimate goal of qualifying for playoffs. 

“I talked to my core of sophomore and told them this is it,” Ponciano-Babb said. “This is the year that we are going to do playoffs.”