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Volleyball 2007 Outlook
One word best describes the
upcoming volleyball season: exciting!
With just two returning senior
starters and four returning sophomores, the 2007 season will
showcase new talent: six first year students will begin their
Highlander careers. “With such a young team we have the chance
to be together for a long time, and that’s exciting,” says Head
Coach Nancy Cole.
Each of the six first year students will bring something special
to the team. Darby Emerson brings strong defense to the
back row, and the ability to add offensive power on the front
row. Meghan Phipps will add some necessary setting
assistance and possibly be a starter. Lindsay Arndt’s years of
volleyball experience will be most notable in the amount of ball
control she displays.
Leah Scott is expected to
provide offensive support by taking charge at the net. Ellen
Goodman is an outside hitter with a powerful swing and will
also help with ball control. Finally, Hannah Gardner,
whose older sister Elizabeth played on the team last year and
graduated in May, will bring equal talent in both setting and
hitting.
With such a young team, seniors Stephanie Swanson and
Katie McCulloch will need to display their on court
experience as well as their personal strength to make this
season a success, tasks Cole believes both are capable of
accomplishing, “They’re both defensive specialists that display
a great deal of leadership on and off the court. They’ll have a
lot on their shoulders, but together they’ll be good leaders.”
Swanson, this year’s Libero, is coming off a third straight
season of leading the team in digs (461). The team counts on her
consistent hard work and energy. McCulloch, entering her third
season as a Highlander, continues to sharpen her skills and
bring depth, joining Swanson as defensive specialist.
Sophomore Ashley Kuvshinikov, whose teammate and older
sister Emily graduated last spring, will vie for more starting
time as she brings power to her role as outside hitter.
Sophomore Brianne Brubaker’s setting improved
dramatically last year, and she just might find herself starting
this year. Sophomore Holly Motheral is back for a second
season at the net. She was an impact player as a first year
student with 84 kills and should continue to be a force this
season. Sophomore Lenore Basset showed both talent and
the ability to adapt to positions last year and will continue to
be a valuable asset this season as an outside hitter.
The departure of six strong senior players means success will
lie in pairing the talents of the new Highlanders with the
consistency of the returnees. “They all have the physical
ability to do very well,” says Cole, “I’m looking forward to
seeing how they all mesh.”
She likes the Highlanders’ chances of making the playoffs,
despite the change in format that will mean fewer teams get in.
“There’s a good mixture of teams this year, some stronger than
others, but, depending on how the new team meshes, we could be a
real contender,” says Cole, but adds that developing as a team
is the Highlanders’ main goal this year, “We’ll be working
toward consistency,” she says.
Anticipating a season with six first-year players has not curbed
Cole’s enthusiasm. “Through our returnees we’ll continue to be
close spiritually, and that’s what’s important,” she says, then
adds: “It’ll be exciting to have a new team.”
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