Volleyball team looking for a big season in 2006

By Mike Petty
Collegian Reporter
September 13, 2006

The La Salle volleyball team’s 2006 season is one of change and promise.

The 2005 season saw the squad go 11-20 and earn just one victory in Atlantic 10 play. Gone, this season, are senior captains Abby Means and Kara Branz, and Coach Dave Stever has brought in recruits from across the country to try and make La Salle a force in the A-10. Returning is a strong cast of players who are primed for the best season in the history of the program.

The Explorer volleyball team in action during a game last year.

The team is loaded from the outside in, as they have the strongest cast of outside hitters in the program’s history and are complemented by strong defense inside.

Setter Caitlin Conner and libero Carolyn Judge will lead the team on the court as senior captains and key the team offensively and defensively. The outside hitters are led by junior Stephanie Owen, who led the team with 295 kills last season.

Junior Erin Sullivan and sophomore Jackie Kushman both have shown improvement early this season and will continue to be key factors for the team. Freshmen Danielle DiMarco and Rachel Stemper were brought in and will be expected to make an immediate impact.

Sophomore middle hitter Christa Dominick, second on the team in kills with 293 in 2005, will lead the strength up the middle along with sophomore Amy McKeon, junior Brittany Hanley and freshman Sarah Jancuska. While Conner is setting up the offense, Judge and sophomore Tammi Jones will lead the defense from the libero position.

Before the season, the team outlined what it looked to accomplish this season.

“Basically, our number one goal is hitting efficiency. We’re looking to be aggressive while being smart, keeping the ball in play and limiting unforced hitting errors,” Owen said. “Blocking will also be key. We need to set solid blocks so that the defense knows where it needs to be and can get there easily.”

These goals have been stressed, and while the A-10 playoffs may still be slightly out of reach, the Explorers see promise in their team and their schedule for the season. With home matches against rival Villanova and Temple, the team will also host Charlotte, George Washington and Lehigh at the Tom Gola Arena.

The Explorers, looking to improve on last season’s record, have opened up to a 6-5 overall record.

They began by winning their own La Salle Invitational with wins over UNC-Wilmington, Rider and Maryland-Eastern Shore. This past weekend, with wins over Loyola and Providence, the team finished fifth in the Chesapeake Challenge.

Next weekend, they will travel to Bucknell and look to continue their improvement in the Bucknell Tournament. The one match on the schedule to highlight is Saturday, Oct. 7, when the Explorers take on the Dayton Flyers.

“They are going to be our biggest competition. They recently played and defeated the ranked Arizona Wildcats. Last year, we were able to take a game from them and played with them. We're looking to finish at least .500 in A-10 play,” Owen said.

With the nation’s leader in digs per game in Judge, and the imposing presence of their outside hitters, the La Salle volleyball team should figure to surprise this season. In past years many teams looked at matchups with the Explorers as sure wins, but that shouldn’t be the case this year.

La Salle’s next home match is on Wednesday, Sept. 20 against the Villanova Wildcats at 7 p.m. at the Tom Gola Arena.

pettym1@lasalle.edu