TicketsNov. 11, 2010
By Shawn Sell
GoBEARCATS.com
Stephanie Niemer grabs the headlines. Annie Fesl is the captain and the quarterback at setter. But without the marked improvement of sophomores Becca Refenes and Jordanne Scott at the middle blocker positions, it's hard to imagine where the 2010 Bearcats would be.
Throughout his tenure at UC, head coach Reed Sunahara has almost always enjoyed the luxury of pairing one upperclassman with a youngster in the middle. Whether it was any of the string of all-conference performers in Myanna Hellsten, Jessie Nevitt, Rachel Torblaa or Bonita Wise, Sunahara has always had some experience in the middle. That is, until last season.
After Nevitt graduated, Kelsey Brandl transferred and Lindsay Upton changed positions following the 2008 season, Sunahara turned to a pair of wet behind the ears freshmen last fall in Refenes and Scott. With now almost two years of experience under their respective belts, the results are starting to show.
During the 2009 season, Scott enjoyed a better campaign, averaging 2.45 kills and 0.98 blocks per set to Refenes' 1.54 kills and 0.77 blocks. While Scott is enjoying another solid campaign this year, Refenes has started gaining ground. Sunahara has been impressed with the duo thus far and gives much of the credit to one of his former star performers.
"Overall, I've been pretty happy (with them)," he says. (Assistant coach) Myanna (Hellsten) is a good coach working with them in the middle. She uses her experience and knowledge to help them play the best they can. For them, the transition has been good. Last year was a learning experience for them and I think they have both gotten better this year."
Refenes' numbers have definitely improved, especially defensively where she ranks third in the BIG EAST with 1.16 blocks per set. Add in an increase in both kills (2.10) and hitting (up to .274 from .160 last year) and Refenes seems to be a budding star.
For Scott, who Sunahara says is playing with "much more confidence" this season, her numbers are nearly the same as last season, as she is averaging a solid 2.84 kills and 0.67 blocks per game and hitting .315. More consistently high-level performances from both will only help an all ready outstanding Bearcat squad.
"They are still young and learning, but they are getting better every day," Sunahara says. "The more they are able to contribute to our team, the more well-rounded we will be and other teams won't be able to focus on one or two players. The more they can hit for a high percentage and block, it's just an added benefit for us."
ONE WILD WEEKEND
This weekend, the final of BIG EAST regular season play, promises to be a wild one as nearly all of the conference teams will be jockeying for seeding in next week's BIG EAST Tournament. Entering play on Friday, just two of the league's 15 schools have been mathematically eliminated from tournament contention.
The logjam in the standings starts at the top and flows all the way down to the battle for the eighth and final seed. Five teams, Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame and Villanova, have all punched their tickets for the tournament, with UC, UofL and Marquette still in the hunt for the regular season title and number one seed. Each team seems to control its own destiny, especially Marquette, who will face both the Bearcats and Cardinals this weekend. While UC will take on Marquette on Sunday, they must first take on a solid Syracuse squad on Friday night and head coach Reed Sunahara knows his team can't look past the Orange.
"When we went to Syracuse two years ago, we won a wild match coming back in the fifth set and winning," he says. "We have to take care of the ball and play good defense and take care of our side of the court."
Syracuse will also be hungry for a win as they start the weekend part of a three-way tie for eighth in the league, just one-half game behind seventh place USF. Pittsburgh and St. John's make up the rest of the deadlock and that trio is only one-half game up on Georgetown. The battle for the lost three spots promises to be intense.
An added challenge the Bearcats must face this weekend is conquering one of BIG EAST volleyball's most grueling travel partner set-ups. Following Friday's match in upstate New York, the UC squad must make its way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to take on a Marquette squad looking for its first taste of BIG EAST volleyball glory on Sunday. While Sunahara knows it's a challenge, he is certain his team is up to task.
"I think our kids are familiar enough with traveling and we put them in some situations with travel during preseason to get ready," he says. "Anytime you play at someone else's house, it's always a little more difficult. I told them we have to be road warriors. We have two down and now two more to go. Hopefully, we can get these two."
If all goes as planned, the Bearcats will be celebrating no less than their second co-BIG EAST Championship in the last three years. If not, UC would end up as no lower than the No. 3 seed in next week's tournament in Pittsburgh. To Sunahara, there is but one thing his team can do.
"We are just taking care of one game at a time, that's all we can do," he says. "We control our own destiny and hopefully some things will play out the way we want them to."
Click here to check out the current BIG EAST standings and weekend schedule.