BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's volleyball team recently returned from a hugely successful eight-day trip of international play in beautiful Barbados.

The team fund raised their way to this amazing opportunity and traveled from May 18th to 26th to Bridgetown, Barbados. The Bears began their journey to Bridgetown where they met local youth who came to watch them practice and prepare for matches against the local club program (Deacons and Raiders), the Bajan Junior National Team and the Bajan Senior National Team. The experience was amazing and the people of Barbados were extremely welcoming and friendly.

Junior setter Charleyne Panner noted, "Traveling to Barbados with the team was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Getting the opportunity to spend the week with my teammates only strengthened the bond of our friendship."

Panner added. "The international competition pushed us to work harder together in order to come home with an undefeated 3-0 record. It was the trip of a lifetime with my best friends by my side that furthered my gratitude for my teammates and coaches as well as my love for the sport."

The Bears defeated all three teams during the week of play. They defeated the club team, 3-0, the Junior National Team, 4-1, and finally the Senior National Team in an exciting 5th game. See the final match point win by clicking here.

These friendly games exposed BSU to a welcoming culture and an eye opening experience to international play.

Senior hitter Julie Hutchins noted, "I couldn't have asked for a better experience to share with my teammates. It was a great opportunity to challenge ourselves with teams that brought a different kind of power and talent than we are used to, while also educating us on the diverse environments around the world. The experience as a whole was very rewarding as we met some amazing people and were able to come together as both a team and a family."

During their down time, the Bears met with friendly locals and explored caves, swam with turtles on a catamaran cruise and attended a local show that exposed the team to the Bajan culture and cuisine. It was an experience of a lifetime and a treasured moment the team will never forget.

Junior hitter Clara Gonsalves added, "Getting a chance to go to Barbados and play their national team was an unbelievable experience. It not only was a strong learning opportunity in the game of volleyball but also learning about a completely different culture. The trip brought us closer together on the court and off. It was an amazing team bonding experience that I am so thankful for. Our experiences from Barbados and our win against their national team will only make us stronger and make us shoot for even higher goals for next season."