MONDAY, AUGUST 18.2003
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 3B
Volleyball aims for improvement
Team confronts preseason poll looks to test out its new talent
By Mike Norris
mmorris@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
After coming so close to making the NCAA Tournament last season they could taste it, the University of Kansas Volleyball team is using that as motivation for this year.
Despite a school record of 10 conference wins and 19 total wins, the season ended too early for the Jayhawks.
"We weren't surprised, we knew we were on the bubble," said senior outside hitter Sarah Rome. "But it hurt a lot."
Sophomore middle blocker Josi Lima was also disappointed with last season's outcome.
"It was very frustrating," she said. "When you work so hard, you expect to win."
The team's sixth place finish in the conference last season was followed with a ranking of sixth in this year's Big 12 coaches preseason poll. Rome knows that won't work this year.
"Sixth isn't good enough," she said.
Head Coach Ray Bechard said with all the transfers and new players in the conference, it's hard to tell how accurate
the noll will be.
"I think more than anything [the rankings] are more of just a reflection of last year," he said.
Nebraska, who has won six of the seven Big 12 conference titles, is the Jayhawk's biggest target, but the team knows a victory against any Big 12 team is important.
Lima said the team has a good chance of being better than last year.
"We are very young, but we have more talent and are very athletic," she said.
One of those young, talented players is freshman outside hitter Janaina Correa from Sao Paulo, Brazil, the same town that produced Lima.
"She's going to be a stud," said Rome.
The team will have the opportunity to test out their new talent Aug. 29 when they take on Western Kentucky in the Northern Illinois Tournament in Dekalb, Ill.
Lima knows the tournament marks the start of their quest toward an NCAA Tournament appearance.
"We are going to work twice as hard," she said. "We don't want that same feeling."
— Edited by Ashley Marriott
Senior Sarah Rome, outside hitter, bumps the volleyball during practice Wednesday afternoon at Horeisi Family Sports Complex. Kansas is beginning the preseason ranked as sixth in the Big 12.
Abby Tillery/Kansan
Volleyball schedule for August and September
Aug. 29-30 at Northern Illinois Tournament Dekalb, Ill.
Sept. 5-6 at Minnesota Tournament Minneapolis, Minn.
Sept. 10 DRAL ROBERTS* 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 North Carolina vs. Creighton 5 p.m.
KANSAS vs. ARKANSAS 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 North Carolina vs. Arkansas 11 a.m.
KANSAS vs. CREIGHTON 1 p.m.
Arkansas vs. Creighton 5 p.m.
KANSAS vs. NORTH CAROLINA 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 at Kansas State 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 COLORADO 1 p.m.
Sept. 22 UMKC 7 p.m.
Sept. 27 BAYLOR 7 p.m.
*Uppercase denotes home game
2003 Volleyball roster
No. Name Yr. Pos. Ht. Hometown
1 Jill Dorsey Jr. DS/LIB 5-9 Wellsville
2 Ashley Michaels Jr. MB 6-1 Wathena
3 Sarah Rome Sr. OH 5-11 Eagan, Minn.
4 Abbie Jacobson Sr. OH 5-10 St. Mary's
5 Ashley Bechard J. S 5-7 Lawrence
6 Jamie Mathewson Fr. DS 5-8 Kansas City, Mo.
9 Andi Rozum So. S 5-10 Loveland, Colo.
10 Josiane Lima So. MB 6-0 Sao Paulo, Brazil
11 Jordan Garrison Sr. MB 6-1 Aurore, Ill.
12 Danielle Wittman Fr. DS 5-8 Salina
13 Caitlin Mahoney Fr. MB 6-1 St. Louis, Mo.
14 Renita Davidson So. OH 5-10 Arlington, Texas
15 Megan Hill Fr. OH 6-1 Lincoln, Neb.
16 Janaina Correa Fr. OH 5-11 Sao Paulo, Brazil
17 Lindsey Morris Jr. OH 6-0 Overland Park
Learning Staff
Ray Bechard, coach
Christi Posey, assistant coach
Jill Jones Stucky, assistant coach
Coaching Staff
West Virginia women's volleyball team has high expectations
By Dylan Sacchetti
The Daily Athenaeum via U-WIRE
West Virginia University
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Starting her 29th season as head coach of the volleyball team at West Virginia University, Veronica Hammersmith has been through both the highs and lows that come with athletics.
Just three victories shy of 500 for her career, Hammersmith is focused on getting the team back on the winning track. She nonchalantly calls the 500-win mark "a nice thing."
An offseason in which the team worked hard to improve should lay the foundation for a turnaround from a 9-19 (3-10 Big East) record.
"The offseason went well. We are going to be a lot stronger and quicker," Hammersmith said.
The team will look to its three seniors — Dimitra Havriluk, Jennifer Hayhurst and Kristy King — to provide the leadership for the team. "By the fourth year, they have a good understanding of what we need done." Hammersmith said of her three seniors.
With most of the starters back from last year's team, Hammersmith is looking for some players to really step up.
"Sophomoe" Stephanie Zolna improved a lot over the spring and should be a force on offense. Junior Alison Zemanski will be solid in the middle. Dimitra does a lot for us on Dinitra.
court," Hammer-
s m i t h
said. The team is
looking for a boost
f r o m
incoming
freshman Gina Cusanelli,
Aurora Ebert-Santos and Kailee
Goold.
The Big East is shaping up to be among the best in the nation again this year, giving the Mountaineers no easy games.
"The conference should be pretty tough," Hammersmith said.
"All 12 teams should be pretty good. We won't be allowed to have any off nights. We have got a tough preseason schedule to help us prepare for the Big East."
With the abundance of talent back this season, Hammersmith is optimistic going into the season.
"We are very positive going
into the year. We are looking to do better than last year. We think 15 or 16 wins should be attainable, which should get us right in the middle of the conference race," the veteran coach said.
The season gets under way Aug. 29 when the team heads west for a matchup with Sacramento State in Los Angeles.
Following that, the Mountaineers will play Loyola Marymount Aug. 30 at the Gersten Pavilion