MSOE women's volleyball 2010 season preview
| Published: 08/24/2010 |
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The MSOE women's volleyball team expects to improve in 2010 from last season's performance. The Raiders return seven players including three juniors and three sophomores.
"We are hoping to be very competitive and be a team that people do not want to play," said head coach Adam Stikel said. "We have several players with a lot of experience and we are hoping that pays off with a positive conference record."
Every player returning to the roster started at least one match in 2009.
"We will have several players that are expected to lead the way," Stikel said. "Our only senior Haley McEnerney (Mount Prospect, Ill./John Hersey) will be our main court leader and we will expect many of our juniors to help lead the way."
McEnerney is the team's setter and averaged just over six assists per set during the 2009 season. That placed her fifth in the Northern Athletic Conference (NAC) for that statistical category. McEnerney stands fourth all-time at MSOE in career assists (1,383).
Junior Kathleen Collingbourne (East Dundee, Ill./Dundee-Crown) led the NAC in digs (5.11) per set last season. Collingbourne already stands fifth all-time at MSOE for career digs with 1,043 after two just seasons as a Raider.
"We worked hard in the spring season to regain our sense of team and we feel we have all gotten better and are ready to take on competition," Stikel said.
Juniors Kayla Edler (Leaf River, Ill./Forreston) and Kaylie Lenz (Fennimore, Wis./Fennimore) bring valuable experience to the Raiders. Edler averaged 1.52 kills per set last season while Lenz averaged 1.43 points per set in 2009.
"We have a chance to make the NAC tournament this year if we keep playing hard and improving," Stikel said. "There are several conference teams that are getting better so we need to stay consistent with our play and improvement for us to be competitive with every team in the NAC."
Sophomore Stephanie Hasler (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls) led the Raiders in kills per set (2.26), points per set (2.77) and service aces (44). Hasler was fourth in the NAC in service aces per set. Sophomore Julie Windish (Tinley Park, Ill./Marian Catholic) averaged 1.5 kills per set in her first season with MSOE.
Leadership will be expected from all parts of the team during the 2010 season.
"I think everyone needs to take a little bit of leadership during the season," Stikel said. "There are times when everyone needs to be picked up or isn't having their best game so we feel at some point in time everyone is going to get a chance to be a leader on and off the court."
MSOE will compete in the UW-Lacrosse Labor Day Invitational and the Bethany Lutheran College Invitational as well as host a number of events at the Kern Center. The Raiders begin their NAC schedule September 14 against Dominican University in River Forest, Ill.
