Senior-Led Volleyball Squad Sets High Goals for 2013

by YSU

Sunday, Aug 25, 2013 8:58 am

The Youngstown State volleyball team is coming off its best season since joining the Horizon League in 2001, and, with the nucleus of the program returning, the goals are quite lofty in 2013.

In coach Mark Hardaway's first season last year, the Penguins were among the most-improved teams in the country. They won 10 more matches than in 2011 and qualified for the conference tournament for the first time in three seasons. Their 15-14 record was the best in 13 years, and the 15 wins represented more victories than the previous three seasons combined. Only nine teams in the country improved their win total more from 2011.

With the success from last season, the attitude and expectations were much higher during the preseason camp. More than 96 percent of the team's kills and blocks return from last season, and seven hungry seniors are convinced that the Penguins have the talent and determination to win YSU's first conference title in volleyball since 1999.

"Our confidence is a lot higher than it was heading into last season," Hardaway said. "We had some success in the fall, and we had more success in the spring. We had a large portion of the team stay to train in the summer, and I think everyone feels good about where we've set the bar."

The bar's location? "It's not just about winning anymore. Now it's about putting ourselves in a position where we can win the conference tournament. I think the conference is going to be very competitive, but with this many seniors, it's a good year to go after it."

That's quite a leap for a team that had won seven matches combined in the first two years of those seniors' careers.

Senior Jenna Cavanaugh is the Horizon League's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and classmate Missy Hundelt is returning after earning all-league mentioning a year ago. Cavanaugh led the conference in blocks last season, and she was among the league's most improved players offensively. Hundelt is an Offensive Player-of-the-Year candidate, and she could go down as one of the program's all-time greats with a senior year.

Fellow senior Casey D'Ambrose returns to play a significant role at the setter position for the third straight season, and Nichele Johnson joins Cavanaugh to form a senior duo in the middle. Senior Jackie Carlisle provides elite athleticism on the outside, and seniors Erika West and Chelsea Guerrieri anchor the defensive specialist group.

Juniors Alexis Egler and Shannon Watson are both expected to play big roles. Egler is a six-rotation outside hitter who has surpassed 200 kills and 200 digs in each of her first two seasons. Watson will play primarily in the middle but is versatile enough to play on the left or right sides.

Aly Ryan and Nikki Thompson combined to play in 170 sets last season, and they'll join sophomore returner Lauren Thompson with the hopes of taking steps forward. Setter Jessie Gerig is a sophomore transfer from Broward College who will miss at least the first few weeks of the season with a wrist injury.

Dana Borsz and Halle Oatridge are the lone freshmen on the squad, and both are defensive specialists. Borsz played at North Olmsted High, and Oatridge played at nearby Mathews High.

YSU has 11 matches at Beeghly Center, including a home tournament Sept. 6-7. There are also three home doubleheaders with the Penguins football team on the slate. The season opener is Aug. 30 at Coastal Carolina, the home opener is Sept. 6, and the first Horizon League match is Sept. 27.

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