Volleyball Preview
August 19, 2009 10:59 AM | General
August 19, 2009
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| Veronica Hammersmith |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University volleyball team did not finish with the record it had hoped in for 2008, but one thing is for sure — lessons were learned that can be applied to 2009.
Coach Veronica Hammersmith (571 victories) enters this season as the third-winningest coach currently at WVU behind men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins (639-234) and gymnastics coach Linda Burdette (612-244-4). Now, add a group of dependable and experienced veterans, and throw some talented freshmen in the mix, and the Mountaineers have high expectations for this season.
“I am looking forward to this season. This will be the second year that we have all three coaches coming back, and I really think that makes a difference when you have coaches who have been working together all return,” the 35-year veteran says. “That will be great for us to have that working relationship, and with last season’s freshmen entering their sophomore years and the depth we have in the incoming class, we will have some success.”
The Mountaineer lineup features five returning starters and 12 returning letterwinners, including 2009 captains Tamara De Angelis and Abby Raines.
With the loss of seniors Tammy Wolf and Lisa Hough, Raines should to take over as a right-side hitter for the Mountaineers, after ending last season with 78 kills and 131 digs. Junior Lauren Evans, a junior transfer from Concordia University-Irvine also will see some playing time on the right side, where she spent two seasons with the Eagles.
“Losing Tammy and Lisa is tough for us. Tammy had gotten to be such a big presence offensively for us and Lisa did a really good job last year on the right side,” Hammersmith says. “But, people graduate and you just have to replace them. Usually, there is someone ready to step in. We are looking at Raines and Evans as right-side hitters.”
Also returning is outside hitter sophomore Kylie Armbruster, who led the team in 2008 with 229 kills, including a career-high 21 against Marshall. She also made her mark with 239 digs, 23 services aces and six double-doubles on the season, and was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week for the week of Sept. 9.
“Kylie was our best rookie; she got that award at the end of the year. She came in and had a really good, intense attitude,” Hammersmith says. “She got taken advantage of at times, because people knew that she was a freshman and they tried to pick on her, but she held up pretty well. She was very competitive and aggressive and we needed that. I think this fall she will continue to help us out.”
Senior Kristina Gallahan, junior Andrea Miller and sophomore Michelle Kopecky also return in the outside hitter position.
“Michelle did pretty well last year. We used her a little bit more than I thought we would, and she played really well at the Winthrop Tournament,” Hammersmith says. “Kristina was hurt part of the season and we needed someone to fill in for her and Michelle did a good job. She has some good skills; she just needs to learn the rhythm and flow of the game. We are hoping that we can get that from her this season.”
The Mountaineers also have depth in the middle with junior Abby Norman. Last year, Norman led the team in blocks with 60, while adding 169 kills. Sophomore Abby Monson and freshman Whitney Lee will also see time in the middle.
“In the middle we are looking for Abby Norman, Abby Monson and maybe even Evans to play some, as well as Whitney Lee,” Hammersmith says. “We definitely have some depth this season, which I don’t think we had last year.”
In the setter position, look for sophomore Kari Post to take control. Post returns after taking the starting position last season, leading the team with 564 assists and 10 double-doubles.
“I thought Kari was very good as a freshman with not much experience,” Hammersmith says. “It is hard to jump in and run an offense when you haven’t mastered the plays, but she did a good job and benefited from the experience that she got as a freshman. We are looking for a little more leadership from her this year.”
On the defensive end, expect junior libero Bonnie West to lead the team. So far, West has earned a spot in the record books for two consecutive seasons. Last season, West finished with 424 digs, to put her ninth on the list for most in a single season at WVU, while also finishing fifth in the conference for most digs.
“We are really excited about West coming back this fall,” Hammersmith says. “I think last year wasn’t her best season. She had a lot of digs, but she could have played better and I think she knows it. I think this season she is going to be more determined and more disciplined in her play, and she’ll make the extra effort we need.”
De Angelis will continue to be a force on the court as a defensive specialist, while newcomers Stephanie Mock and Karly Rasmussen add depth to the position.
“De Angelis has been great for our team. She has made great strides on and off the court and she is just an excellent person to have. She is going to be out there somewhere, probably as a defensive specialist,” Hammersmith says. “She is just that person who brings a lot of energy and encourages everyone when she is on the court.”
With an experienced lineup this season, the Mountaineers are set to compete in 30 matches, including two home tournaments and seven home conference meetings.
“We play 30 matches, not counting the BIG EAST Championship and we would like to be over .500, which is a big improvement in our win-loss record from last year,” Hammersmith says. “I think we can do that this season. We would also like to qualify for the conference championship at the end of the year. That will take at least eight or nine wins.”
The 2009 slate is set to begin on Aug. 28, with the first of two home tournaments, the WVU Classic. The Mountaineers start play with a match against Oakland on Aug. 28, followed by matches against Towson and St. Francis (Pa.) on Aug. 29.
Tournament season continues with back-to-back trips to Denver and Akron. In Denver, the Mountaineers will see two first-time meetings with Air Force and Southern Utah, and will also face Eastern Illinois and tournament host, Denver. The Mountaineers are also set to face two more teams for the first time while in Akron with meetings against Bucknell and TCU.
To close out the tournament season, the Mountaineers return home for the WVU Invitational, which features competition from Wright State, Princeton, Duquesne and George Mason.
WVU begins regular season play with a road match at Marshall on Sept. 23, followed by the beginning of conference play on Sept. 26, as the Mountaineers play host to Syracuse and Marquette. The next weekend, WVU begins a four-match road stretch starting on Oct. 3, as it faces Louisville, followed by a match with Cincinnati, then USF and Georgetown.
Also on the slate for the Mountaineers is a road match against defending BIG EAST champion St. John’s. The Red Storm notched a 22-9 record last season, with three players earning All-American honors.
Other home matches include DePaul, Notre Dame, Villanova, Rutgers and Seton Hall.
With lessons from 2008 well learned and in the past, look for the Mountaineers to return this season with one thing on their minds — winning. Although a tough schedule stands in their way, the coaches and team are positive in their preparations.
“I really think we turned a corner this spring with our efforts and attitude in practice, which will help us in the fall,” Hammersmith adds. “The girls have also had a good spring with their conditioning and lifting, and if they continue to work on that this summer and come back in shape, I think we can be pretty good. We have a lot of work to do, but I am optimistic that we will do well in the end.”
