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When the Golden Gate volleyball team started the season 0-3, there was no panic, no sense of frustration, only a change of attitude.

That change happened in large part thanks to the Titans’ setter, Claudia Cabrera.

The senior has played a stretch of some of her best volleyball recently after coming off that slow start. Since losing to Seacrest on Sept. 8, the Titans have gone 7-1, with their only loss since coming to top area team Gulf Coast last Monday night, 3-1.

During the Golden Gate Invitational tournament on Saturday, Cabrera really turned things on, finishing with 55 assists, 8 saves and 21 service points — 10 of which were aces.

“She really stepped it up for us this weekend, and for the past six or seven matches she has been a lot smarter about who she is setting to, working against other team’s blockers and working with our hitters,” Golden Gate coach Kim Kaye said. “She’s become a real leader and trusts her hitters to get the ball down. She can take missed passes and turn them around and set what looks like is going to be a dead ball and put us back in business.”

Cabrera’s glowing scouting report hasn’t come easily. Unlike many volleyball players in the area, she hasn’t played regularly for a club team in the offseason until coming into this season. In her fourth year on the varsity roster, however, she has played well, even if it all hasn’t come so naturally to her at times.

“I have an attitude,” Cabrera said sharply. “It used to be when Coach told me that I messed up I took it wrong, but I think a lot of that was because I was a freshman. Now when she tells me to do something, I know that it’s because she wants me to get better and help me.”

That’s the maturity that has given Cabrera the respect of her teammates. Cabrera sees it as a give-and-take with her team.

“Naomi (Andre) and Megan (King) and I have all known each other since freshman year and we are so close,” she said. “It’s like we are family and we like each other so much; if my sets are bad, they can tell me and I know that they aren’t saying it to be mean, and I can tell them to hit better and they know that it’s me just trying to help them.”

Cabrera’s evolution as a player while at Golden Gate has led her to look into playing college volleyball, and Kaye thinks that there is a spot for her somewhere.

Meanwhile, Cabrera has her sights set on the University of Tampa, but also she also has interest in Lynn and Stetson as well.

OTHERS CONSIDERED

Kathryn Fluehr, Community School, cross country: Fluehr won the Optimist Invitational in Lehigh Acres on Saturday and led the Seahawks to the team title.

Hannah Lewis, Naples volleyball: Her eighth-place finish Saturday at the Venice Invitational led Naples to the team title, beating out 16 other squads. Finished in 20:33.

Victoria McCaffrey, St. John Neumann cross country: Finished second individually Saturday at the 17-team Venice Invitational. Completed the race in 19:43.

Rikki Townsend, Seacrest volleyball: Had 14 aces and 11 digs Thursday in the Stingrays’ five-set victory over Canterbury.