EVANSVILLE, Ind. – It is hard to believe that it is already the fifth week of the season for the Purple Aces volleyball team, who are set to open Missouri Valley Conference play tonight against Drake. 
 
Through the first month of play, the squad has shown steady improvement and growth.  Today we talk to Rocio Fortuny and Jelena Merseli about the progress of the season so far along with their backgrounds in volleyball and the trek to Evansville from two locations that are thousands of miles away. 
 
Rocio Fortuny, a native of La Plata, Argentina, is in her sophomore season with the Aces.  As a freshman, Fortuny led the team with a total of 100 blocks.  She was the top freshman blocker in the MVC.  This year, she has focused more on her offensive game and the hard work has paid off.  After recording an average of 1.22 kills per set last year, that number has risen to 2.10 this year.
 
"Last year, it was a learning process, but this year we are more relaxed and know what to expect," Fortuny said.  "My goal has been to be a bigger presence on the floor.  I do not work on just one thing to improve on at a time, I always work to improve every part of my game."
 
That work has paid off for her as she has excelled in every facet of the sport.  Off the floor, she has done a great job of adjusting to life in the United States while maintaining close contact with her family in Argentina.
 
"I looked at many schools, but Evansville had the best mix of academics and athletics and has been a great fit for me.  I visited with my mom in November of my senior year and it felt great from the start," Fortuny explained.  "I always did a lot of traveling and had been to the USA before, so it has been a very easy adjustment.  I also talk to my family over the phone, FaceTime or by texting each day."
 
Setter Jelena Merseli sorted through many different options when she started her career.  In her native Serbia, the culture of college athletics is much different.  Your academics come first and the primary competition at the college level is mostly made up of intramurals.
 
"It is definitely much different in Serbia.  It is either one or the other when it comes to college athletics," Merseli said.  "The cost of college is also so much more over there; I have a twin sister attending college back home, so with those costs, it made me look at other options."
 
Her first collegiate option came at Langston University in Oklahoma.  Coming out of high school, Merseli kept in close contact with many coaches in the United States and Langston was her first stop.  After a semester, she knew that she wanted a change and Evansville was the right fit.  UE head coach Manolo Concepcion was looking for a setter to be on campus for the second semester two years ago and she jumped at the chance.
 
"Everything just worked out with the timing, UE needed a setter and I was looking at changing schools," she explained.  "It all happened very fast, but has been a great move for me."
 
Merseli is coming off of the best weekend of her career, setting her match mark with 48 assists last weekend against UL Monroe.
 
"I am having fun with this group and know my teammates feel the same way," Merseli said.  "We are getting much more consistency this year and the chemistry with the coaches has been great.  We are excited for conference play and the rest of the year."
 

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