Wake Forest Athletics
Gold Rush: Something To Prove
9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 1, 2002
By Sam Walker
Members of the 2002 Wake Forest volleyball team enter this season with a gritty attitude and a chip on their shoulders. The young, but relatively experienced squad, was picked seventh in the ACC coaches' poll and seventh in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. The Deacons feel they have something to prove.
Trina Maso de Moya and Margaret Davidson were All-ACC and All-Region players a season ago, but they have graduated, leaving one senior to lead the 2002 Demon Deacons. Four battle-tested juniors return, giving Coach Valorie Baker of Wake Forest a solid base to build around. Those players didn't like what they saw in the polls and took the preseason rankings personally.
"For the girls, it's hey, we've been underestimated," Baker said. "Within our league there are some teams who lost key players same as we did, so it will be any given night (anybody can win), same as it has been in the past in the ACC. They (the girls) might have a little chip on their shoulders, but I think that might not be so bad. We don't have anywhere but up to go in everyone else's eyes. The girls were pretty upset. They think they're better than that. For me, I know the ranking is just a guess."
Baker admitted there are several things that must happen for Wake Forest to become a contender in the tough ACC. Not only will Maso de Moya and Davidson's replacements need to be found but also several players will have to step into new roles and provide solid play. Add to that equation an NCAA rule change, and there are some major adjustments with which to get comfortable. Despite all that, Baker is excited about watching the evolution of this year's team.
"I see several players taking on new positions, and when that happens, there's a question mark," Baker said. "They can either take it and run with it, or they might struggle with the pressures and take some time to adjust. I have a lot of confidence in the girls' abilities, and I think they've trained hard over the summer.
"The preseason ranking, I look at that and think sometimes people put too much stock in that. We lost two All-Region, All-District players and, of course, they had terrific careers. But what they fail to see is that we have four juniors and one senior who have been on that court for the majority of games. I think there's a little underestimation of the abilities of these girls, but it motivates them. If that works in our favor, we'll take it for now."
Baker said her team will break up the season and set goals throughout the year. The early nonconference season will give Baker and her team a way to measure their capabilities and then they will review goals as the ACC stretch begins. The nonconference schedule will test the Deacons. The Deacon Invitational features Auburn, Ohio and Virginia Tech. A trip to Provo, Utah, will give the Deacons a chance to take on BYU, Southern California and Oral Roberts. Wake will face Kentucky, Western Michigan, and Dayton on the road as well in Lexington, Ky. The Deacons will host UAB, Winthrop and San Diego State in the Black and Gold Challenge.
Wake Forest's senior returning starter is Ashlee Phillips. Phillips is the most experienced player on the team in terms of collegiate play, and as the setter, she inherits the leadership role. "She's kind of our anchor," Baker said. "She's been starting since her freshman year and is very much in charge of the team. She's able to run an efficient offense and give the girls direction. The setter's position is kind of like a quarterback position on a football team, so they have to know the offense inside and out and be able to execute that. By having that role, setters kind of turn into the leader on the court. During a match other players look to them to ask: 'What do we do next?'"
The left side hitter's position could be played by four different people. Baker is watching to see who emerges at that spot. "I'm very confident in the players we have on the left side," Baker said. "Valerie Rydberg is recovered from an ACL knee injury so this will be her first year playing for us. She was redshirted last season. She is one of the most competitive players I've had the pleasure to coach. She works hard to beat you and will do all it takes to win and expect the team to do the same. I'm confident with both her offensive and defensive play. She and Sara Beth DeLisle are pushing ahead for that spot right now." Tarah Shelton is a sophomore who could provide some productive minutes and depth on the left side as well.
The middle should prove to be one of the Deacons' strengths this year. Jessica Hauff is a middle blocker who played opposite Davidson, who graduated. Ashley Fisher, a left-hander, has played quite a bit since her sophomore year on the right side. Sara Beth DeLisle, an outside hitter, played the majority of the time as well. " They've been on the court, and they should be able to handle the pressures."
Kim Stern saw a lot of playing time and is a sophomore who is a terminator according to Baker. "She can put balls away and will be depended upon to do that again," Baker said. "She will be taking over the role Margaret Davidson played a year ago, and I can see Kim being able to step into that role and pick up as a sophomore where Margaret left off as a senior."
Christy Williams, an incoming freshman, has shown a lot of promise and maturity beyond her years because of a club team she played for in Chicago. Baker said Williams'club team plays high-level competition and that she should challenge for a playing role on the team. Morgan Havig, a sophomore, has a year under her belt in the middle position. "I feel like our middle well-rounded and should be a strength," Baker said.
On the right side, senior Amanda Tiller returns with freshman Courtney Quay, possibly making an impact on the right side. An NCAA rule change creates the addition of a libero. A libero (lee-ba- ro) is a defensive, back-row player who cannot block, serve, attack or set inside the attack line. The libero can replace any player during a dead ball without counting as a substitution. According to Baker, club teams have been using the libero for a while. The NCAA didn't make the change until this year.
"I think it will be to our advantage," Baker said. "The libero can't serve, and her main purpose is to play defense and pass for you on the back row. You can bring one in anytime there's a dead ball. Now our substitutions can be geared toward offensive purposes. With the depth in our middle, it would be nice to run three or four middles during a match because traditionally they're the workhorse of the team, running side to side. It's nice to know you have the luxury to use the substitution in that position and keep people fresh." The chance to prove wrong their critics has motivated spirited pre-season practices. There are some questions yet to be answered, but with intrasquad competition running at an intense pace, the 2002 Deacons may begin the season with a bang and surprise some people along the way.
