With three-time All-American Yarimar Rosa missing 11 of the first 17 matches for the FIU volleyball team, it would not have been a surprise if the Golden Panthers had gotten off to a slow start this season.

During its run to the Sun Belt regular-season title last season, FIU heavily relied on Rosa to rise to the top.

Things are different in 2009.

Even though Rosa, who led the nation in kills last season, is still the team's most dominating player, the Panthers (15-2, 5-0 Sun Belt) are off to the best start in the program's 22-year history.

``We always had the attitude of that we were going to battle in each match when Yarimar went down this season,'' setter Natalia Valentin said. ``I think we did pretty well when Yarimar was out of the lineup.''

Rosa missed the first six matches of the season with an abdominal injury, and FIU went 5-1. After dislocating two fingers against Miami, Rosa then missed five more matches, and the Panthers went 4-1.

``This is a more complete team than in years past,'' said Rosa, who won her second consecutive Sun Belt Player of the Week award this past week. ``We have more depth and quality depth where if someone is not having a good game we can bring in someone off the bench that will get the job done.''

Along with Valentin, who is fifth in the nation in assists, the Panthers regained opposite Olga Vergun, who was ineligible last season, and have senior Isadora Rangel and freshman Jovana Bjelica, who are tied for second on the team in kills behind Vergun.

``To lose only two matches to two ranked teams [Kentucky and Florida State] without Yari playing tells about the talent we have on this team,'' coach Danijela Tomic said. ``We proved that we not only have a good team, but that we have a very good volleyball program that we have built here at FIU.''

BARRY

The No. 2-ranked Barry men's golf team captured its first team title of the season with a victory at Columbus State's AFLAC/Cougar Invitational earlier this week.

The Bucs made up three strokes on first-round leader North Alabama with a 6-under-par 278 in the second round.

Victor Billskoog fired a 5-under 66 in the second round to lead Barry. Carlos Velez (70-70) shot two 1-under rounds to tie Billskoog for fourth overall (140), and Daniel Stapff and Guillermo Pumerol each shot even par. Chris Carlin, who had a 68 in the first round, shot 73 to finish tied for sixth.

Barry (561) finished 10 strokes ahead of North Alabama (571) for the team title.

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN

Nova Southeastern women's cross-country runner Krystal Porter was named the Sunshine State Conference Runner of the Week. Porter paced the Sharks to a fourth-place team finish at the flrunners.com Invitational this past weekend. Porter finished 11th overall, covering the 5K course in a time of 19:06.32.

Her time was a season best for a 5K, taking 44 seconds off her previous season best of 19:50.71 at the Mountain Dew Invitational in September. . . .

Women's soccer player Elizabeth Brauher was named Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Week.

In NSU's only game last week, Brauher had one goal and one assist for three points in the Sharks' 3-2 win over Tampa. Brauher leads the team in goals (three) and points (eight).

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