Rice Volleyball 2008 Preview

By Natalie Clericuzio     8/21/08 7:00pm

After losing close match after close match last season, the volleyball team ended the season feeling they fell short of their potential. After a whole summer stewing on their numerous missed chances, this season's squad has plenty of motivational fire to finish the season at the top of the conference. A big part of the team's transfor-mation will come from the incoming freshman class. The three freshmen - Ashleigh McCord, Megan White and Yuan Lin - each contribute to the team in a different way. McCord, with her extremely competitive nature, adds power to Rice's already strong set of middle blockers. She also has the ability to play multiple positions, giving head coach Genny Volpe more versatility with her lineups. Additionally, McCord comes in with a raw athleticism as impressive as any player on the team.

"McCord is probably one of the most physical volleyball players that will ever walk through the program," Volpe said.

Since practice started Aug. 9, White has proved her own specific talents. With strong ball control and attacking abilities, White is one of the best defensive players on the team, extremely impressive for a freshman.

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Additionally, this off-season Rice signed Lin from Beijing, China. Adapting from a different style of volleyball than that played in the United States, Lin is still finding her role on the team. However, she does add a level of composure to the team and can play multiple positions. Most likely she will play right side for the Owls.

Complementing the impact of the new freshmen, the three seniors are easily transitioning into their leadership roles. Last spring, the team voted senior outside hitters Karyn Morgan and Jessica Holderness team captains, and both are already leading the team by example. Volpe sees their strong leadership playing an important role in the success of the team this season.

"I think honestly that their leadership is going to be key for this team," Volpe said. "You really do win championships when you have strong senior leadership, and this team definitely has that. You have three seniors and all of them are good leaders. With Jess and Karyn being our captains, they've really embraced their role and the team is following them. The chemistry is amazing."

The third senior, middle blocker Ekaette Shammah, is returning for her senior season after sitting out last season recovering from knee surgery. Having worked out all summer and returning to Rice ready for the season, Shammah should have a strong year for the Owls.

"It's been nice to see her come back strong and be in shape," Volpe said. "She's got that senior sense of urgency, just wanting to get out there and give it her all."

Three other team members are returning this season after spending the off-season recovering from injury. Holderness had ankle surgery last year and subsequently missed the majority of the spring rehabilitating. Sophomore middle blocker Caroline Gill had foot surgery last spring and is still recovering. She is not cleared for practice quite yet, but Volpe expects her to be ready to compete in the team's second match Aug. 29 against Louisiana-Lafayette. Junior setter Channing Grigsby had a knee scope surgery performed over the summer and also is not quite cleared to practice. However, Volpe expects Grigsby to be ready for the first match of the season. With the rest of the team healthy, injury hopefully will not be an issue for the Owls.

The team also has quite a few other returning players. Junior outside hitter Jennifer McClean, a contribu-tor to the team since her freshman year, has maintained her all-around volleyball skills over the summer. Volpe says she views her as possibly the most underrated player and one of the most important players to the team's success. McClean's classmate, outside hitter Jessie Boulavsky, has also contributed to the team consis-tently for the past two seasons and continues to play a key role in the team's success.

Returning sophomores Meredith Schamun, Tracey Lam and Justyna Brewczyk, who play the positions of setter, libero and outside hitter, respectively, are looking forward to a season where they have a familiarity with the team's system from the start. Schamun is adapting well to her role running the team's expanded offense this season. Brewczyk underwent a significant physical transformation over the summer, playing a considerable amount of beach volleyball at home in Poland. Finally, Lam has found a new level of confidence in her abilities on the court.

"Last year I was more hesitant because I kind of felt like the older people should take the balls more," Lam said. "This year, since I'm really the only one who plays my position, I feel like I need to step up and be more vocal and take charge."

On Aug. 8 Conference USA named junior middle blocker Natalie Bogan to the pre-season all-conference team. Volpe sees this as a credit to the team's ability to play as a unit and not rely on a single superstar for success.

"It felt really good because I wasn't expecting it," Bogan said. "It just gives you all the motivation that you need."

The recognition Bogan received only reflects the strong team chemistry that is already falling into place after just the short period of time since they began practice Aug. 9.

"For a middle to get awarded that, that shows that our team has always had really good ball control and defense, and we've been able to utilize our middle," Volpe said. "I think her getting recognized for that, it's definitely a tribute to her and her consistency and her execution, and it also shows that our team can work towards helping make one person better."

The team's unity will certainly aid them in starting off the first tournament of the year with a win. The Mizuno Invitational, held at Rice, begins Aug. 29 at Fox Gym. Rice starts off with University Texas-San Antonio and Louisiana-Lafayette Friday. Sat-urday, the Owls face the University of Michigan. Volpe says the team has high goals for these matches.

"What we would like to do ideally is go undefeated and beat Michigan, who's going to be a nationally ranked team," Volpe said. "We would love to beat them on our home court. So right off the bat I would like to see us show how good we are."

Overall, Volpe wants her team to finish at least in the top three in C-USA. After being voted fourth in the conference overall, the goal is not an unattainable one. While the high seed may seem surprising considering Rice's 13-17 record last season, the team retained all of last season's players except for three seniors. Additionally, many of the games the team lost last season were so close that the team easily could have posted a 20-win year. Volpe also believes her team can win the conference tournament at the end of the season. In order for that to happen, Rice will have to defeat preseason C-USA number one seed Tulane University, a squad that continually beat the Owls in close matches last season. Luckily, the Owls will see Tulane early in the year - the second match in conference play.

"Playing Tulane early on I think is awesome because that is the team to beat for sure," Volpe said. "Tulane returns most starters and has the most experience. To play them right off the bat should show us right in the beginning what we need to work on and what level we are at.

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