Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Volleyball Readies for Season Opener at Tribe Invitational
8/25/2011 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 25, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. – The first of four preseason tournaments is just on the horizon for Bucknell volleyball as the Bison will open their 2011 campaign at the William & Mary Tribe Invitational this weekend in Williamsburg, Va. Play begins for the Orange and Blue with a 7 p.m. contest against the host Tribe on Friday. Bucknell will then take on Delaware State (10:30 a.m.) and Stetson (4 p.m.) on Saturday. Live stats and video for all matches will be available at tribeathletics.com.
Bucknell has limited experience against its first three foes of the year. It will be the team's first-ever meeting with Stetson, while they are 0-1 all-time against William & Mary and 3-0 opposite Delaware State. In their lone match, the Tribe defeated the Bison in three sets (15-6, 15-12, 15-9) in 1998.
The Bison stayed undefeated against Delaware State when they met in the 2009 Bucknell Invitational, winning in straight sets (25-21, 25-22, 25-20). Kyleigh McAhren (Napa, Calif./Justin-Siena) posted a team-best 11 kills in that match, while Emily Sawanobori (Warren, N.J./ Watchung Hills) led with 11 digs.
Head coach Cindy Opalski is on the verge of hitting a major milestone, needing just three more victories to reach 300 for her Bucknell career. The coach, who is heading into her 22nd season with the Bison, has amassed a record of 297-310 while in Lewisburg.
Below is a more in-depth preview of the 2011 Bucknell volleyball season:
The team is different, but the goal is the same. Bucknell volleyball has one its biggest senior classes in recent years, giving the squad the experience and leadership necessary to make another run in the Patriot League Tournament.
“The really exciting part of coaching is that every year you have new personalities. Within those personalities are changes – changes in contribution level, changes in focus, changes in the commitment of our individual athletes. So we've noticed that especially our senior class is right on it in terms of being ready to go this year,” said head coach Cindy Opalski. “With that kind of focused leadership, it makes each and every practice session much better, much more competitive, much more detail-oriented because they've been there before. If I had to make a comparison to previous years, we're much further along this preseason than we've been in the past.”
Aiding in that progress, said Opalski, is the team's veteran leadership at every position on the court. Seniors Emily Sawanobori and Lindsay Regruto provide the defensive prowess, Kyleigh McAhren and Katie Baumgarten step in as a right side and outside hitter, respectively, and Kebah Edoho and Anne Ellenberger add power as middle hitters.
“Because of their extensive experience, each of them brings a really special intensity to each and every drill,” said Opalski, who is heading into her 22nd season at Bucknell. “They've done an outstanding job in the preseason helping the young players to be focused, to be more determined and to really create that vision of where we want to go.
“Clearly our goal is to always win a Patriot League Championship,” Opalski continued. “We've fallen short of that in the last couple years, but I think the big push is always to get into the final four, always to be one of those schools in the third week in November that's on a bus or that's playing at home to compete for a Patriot League Championship.”
Bucknell's senior class has already made two trips to the conference tournament. They'll be looking for a third with help from players like McAhren, who is tied with Baumgarten as the Bison's leading kills artist returning in 2011.
“Kyleigh has always been a terrific motivator, but this season she is in great physical condition and has really been hitting to terminate,” Opalski said. “She's clearly one of the more verbal, more aggressive leaders on the court.”
Baumgarten, who more than doubled her career totals in kills, aces, digs, blocks and assists during a breakout junior campaign, will also be key to Bucknell's game plan as long as she is able to remain healthy.
Both Sawanobori and Regruto have given the Bison a boost defensively and at the service line throughout their careers. Sawanobori continued to hold her position toward the top of the squad's list in both digs and aces last season, even leading the Orange and Blue with 0.33 aces per set.
“Their defensive mindset and their defensive aggressiveness has really transformed us in a short period of time, so they will be key role players in what we do this year,” said Opalski.
Making the transition to middle hitter this year is Ellenberger who, along with junior Kebah Edoho, should give Bucknell a more powerful and efficient game on the front line. Ellenberger is Bucknell's top returning blocker from a year ago, a trend that she is expected to continue in her final season.
Both Edoho and classmate Kat Tauscher will be called upon to make even bigger contributions in 2011, a task where Opalski sees success as a given. Edoho is expected to be an offensive weapon that will force other teams to take notice, while Tauscher is poised to take over as the lead setter.
“Kat is making our decision as coaches very difficult,” said Opalski. “We had gone in to preseason camp with the mindset that we were going to have a two-setter offense. She came back to campus fitter and faster than we've ever seen her before. She has a greater presence and consistency than last year and is determined to be our primary setter.”
A large group of eight sophomores is looking to make an even bigger impact for the Bison after a year of growth and development. Opalski believes the cohort has the skills to make that impact, but the team is still searching for its balanced playmaker.
“We have the potential to have some strong offensive weapons. We have some very talented passers. We have some good defensive folks,” said the coach. “We're looking for those all-around players, that one person who can do it in the front row and the back row, that one person that can do it defensively and from the service line.”
Kristen Titley has the potential to be that person after becoming one of Bucknell's starters late during her rookie season. She finished the campaign among the team's top six in kills, digs and service aces. Titley's classmate, Leylin Marroquin, emerged as the Bison's starting libero last season and led the team in digs with 270. She was also third on the squad in aces with 25 on the year.
Bucknell's newest faces include Kadri Lutter, Amanda Hall, Sarah Morris and Morgan Markarian. Just as with any freshman class, these rookies will need time to adjust to the faster pace and stronger hitting of the college game, but with a wealth of high-level club experience, the transformation shouldn't take long.
“Three of our four freshmen played in national AAU Championships this year, and the fourth one played internationally,” said Opalski. “They've got some great experiences under their belt, and they just need to learn the system. They need to play the game faster. They need to work a little harder, and they need to play the game above the height of the net, not at the height of the net.”
Bucknell fans will have more opportunities than usual to see the team at home early in the season. The Bison will be hosting a pair of tournaments in September, promising plenty of action on their home court that will only benefit the squad moving forward.
“We're fortunate to be having two tournaments, so we'll be in the friendly confines of Davis Gym twice in the preseason. We haven't done that since I've been here, so hopefully that will give us some confidence early on,” said Opalski. “Hopefully that will really give us a sense of ownership, that it's our house and our place, and give us a really valuable amount of confidence to go after teams outside of our conference.”
Bucknell's competition schedule officially kicks off with the William & Mary Tribe Invitational Aug. 26-27. The Bison will then host their first home event Sept. 2-3, featuring matches with Fordham, Manhattan and Dartmouth. The first step toward the Patriot League postseason will be Sept. 23 when Bucknell travels to Washington, D.C., to take on defending champion American.
