TicketsAug. 24, 2011
By Shawn Sell
GoBEARCATS.com
Faced with the daunting task of replacing arguably the greatest players in program history, along with a four-year starter at setter as they try to defend their BIG EAST Championship, the UC Volleyball hasn't backed off from its yearly, lofty goals. With hopes that the whole will be greater than the sum of the parts, UC will bank on a team-first approach as it looks to recapture the championship glory it enjoyed just one year ago.
On paper, the challenge looks great as the Bearcats said goodbye after last season to All-American outside hitter Stephanie Niemer and multi-time all-conference setter Annie Fesl. But that doesn't mean the UC cupboard is bear, as long-time head coach Reed Sunahara welcomes back a strong junior class and a four-year starter on the outside for the 2011 campaign. Even in spite of the holes that must be filled, Sunahara is confident this year will be another winning one for his program.
"Obviously, we lose a couple of good players, but the players that are around now, it is their chance to shine and take a big step forward and step up," he says. "They want to consider this their team, now they have to show that it is their team. I think our skill needs to be better and we need to work well as a team. It is going to be a team effort. Everyone has to be on. We can't rely on one person or two people. We need to have everyone play their best each day and each night. I think if they can do that, we will be in pretty good shape. But if we are relying on just one or two people, it could be a long season."
Two of the players the Bearcats will rely heavily on reside in the middle as the junior class tandem of Becca Refenes and Jordanne Scott are back with each boasting two years of starting experience. Scott improved on a solid freshman campaign by earning first team All-BIG EAST honors last year as a sophomore and should be poised for even more success this season. Refenes will no doubt benefit from international experience gained during a summer European trip as she lines up along Scott. The middles, labeled by Sunahara as the deepest of any group on the roster, also include junior Emily Hayden along with freshman Me'Ashah Nicholson.
Another of the reasons Sunahara is so excited about his middle blocking crew is the versatility they bring. With only one returning starter on the outside, both Scott and Nicholson have gotten a look as outsides as Sunahara searches for his optimal line-up. One of the outside slots is set as Missy Harpenau returns as a fourth-year starter for the Bearcats. Harpenau enjoyed all-conference second team accolades as a sophomore, but was slowed by a shoulder injury last year that required off-season surgery. Even though she is fully recovered, Sunahara knows Harpenau won't be able to carry the heavy load shouldered last season by Niemer, which should lead to a more balanced offensive attack.
UC's most experienced option as the number two outside hitter will be sophomore Juliana Behrens, a native of Hawaii. Behrens saw action in 18 matches last fall, many in place of the injured Harpenau. As noted, Scott and Nicholson could also end up as outside hitter options.
On the opposite side, the battle for the starting job is between junior Megan Turner and freshman Erica Stahl. Turner has the advantage in terms of experience, having carded 62 career appearances. Stahl meanwhile is the tallest player on the UC roster at 6'4" and is already a solid blocker. An improvement to her offensive game should help the Indianapolis native crack the line-up.
An important key to how successful 2011 turns out for the Bearcats lies in how quickly freshman setter Caylin Mahoney transitions to the college game. Mahoney brings good size to the position at 6'0" and Sunahara says he is confident she is ready to pace the Bearcat attack.
"Coming in, Caylin has a lot more experience at the position than we have had in the past," he says. "She has hit the road running and has a lot to learn, but I think so far she is doing a pretty good job. Caylin is a pretty down to earth kid and keeps working hard to be the best she can be."
Along with the middle blockers, defense is a strength of the Bearcats' make-up, with a pair of experienced returnees. Emily MacIntyre won the starting libero job as a true freshman last year and returns as the quarterback of the defense. Junior Karen Onuki has seen considerable game experience during her career on the backline and will be in the mix as well.
Each year, Sunahara tries to prepare his team for a BIG EAST Championship run with a challenging pre-conference schedule. This season will be no different as UC is slated to face six teams listed in the AVCA's preseason top-25 poll in the first four weeks of the new campaign. That starts right away as the Bearcats will face No. 14 Northern Iowa and No. 18 Iowa State at the season-opening tournament this weekend at Northern Illinois. Other top squads on the early docket include No. 8 Illinois, No. 10 Hawaii, No. 13 Purdue and No. 16 Oklahoma. Sunahara knows it will be a battle early.
"It wasn't by design, but it is what it is and we can't change it," he says. "We want to play the better teams so we can gauge where we are. Hopefully we can have a good preseason and build some momentum into the conference season."
The 2011 Bearcats mantra will be team-first as they try to accomplish their yearly goals of competing for a BIG EAST Championship and earning an NCAA Tournament invite. Even with two big losses to overcome, the Bearcats are confident in how the 2011 season will unfold.
"Like I told the team, we don't need to find one superstar, we just need everybody to bring up their average a little bit," Sunahara says. "If we get one more point from each person, we can cover that (graduation losses). We don't need one person to score eight points and everybody else stays the same. If everyone can step their game up and help the team, I think we will be fine."