Bump! Set! Spike! Volleyball season is here
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Volleyball
Fredonia, N.Y. -- After winning the SUNYAC title and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in 2008, the Devils were eliminated in the semi-finals of the conference championship last season.
This season, as it was when the Devils swept through the post-season in 2008, it is the again West Division champion’s turn to host the conference playoffs. The Devils are looking to duplicate that run when they swept every SUNYAC regular-season and playoff game en route to the championship in front of a raucous Dods Hall crowd.
The tradition is there – the Devils have gone 15-1 in SUNYAC play the past two seasons. The pieces are in place – they return all but one starter and have nine upperclassmen. And the team remains hungry.
“We talk about getting better everyday in practice,” said head coach Geoff Braun. “We focus on improving daily.”
About his team getting back to the national stage, Braun feels his players are focused.
“They want to get there. They don’t want to be a flash in the pan. As a whole, we have the talent to get there again.”
The Devils feature a potent offense. Team co-captain Brittany Lis (Lancaster/Lancaster) will direct the attack. Last year the junior setter dished out 7.17 assists per game in her first year running the offense. She was named First Team All SUNYAC.
Lis also ranked fourth in the SUNYAC with 0.48 aces per game as the Devils led SUNYAC in service aces – 2.55 per game. Lis was second on the Devils with 389 digs.
She will be spelled by junior Jessica Ersntberger (Rochester/Greece Arcadia).
The first option on offense will be senior Kaitlin Erdman (Randolph/Randolph). She is a three-time all SUNYAC selection and was the West Division MVP following the 2008 season. Last year, she was named New York Region Honorable Mention. Erdmann was the Blue Devils' top hitter with 296 kills and a 33.8 hitting percentage, the fourth best success rate in program history. She already holds the No. 1 and No. 2 marks on the list.
Senior co-captain Jenna Tatu (Tonawanda/Kenmore West) was a second team all conference selection last year and was named to the All Tournament Team as a sophomore. Her all-around play saw her rank among the team leaders in blocks, digs, kills and assists.
Junior Chelsea Senn (Hamburg/Frontier), the 2008 SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, is another experienced player who will continue to contribute to a potent offense.
Sophomore Lindsey Olson (Portville/Portville) was a big addition on the outside as a freshman. She was second on the team with 223 kills.
Junior Jennifer Newhouse(Amherst/Amherst) is expected to play an expanded role. At 6’2’’, she gives the team a presence at the net.
Freshmen Kaitlin Orcutt (Hamburg/West Seneca West) and Hannah Manning (Apalachin/Owego Free Academy) will vie for a starting spot on the outside.
The depth and experience on offense will be a key factor. “We want to run a fast offense and get more kills from the outside,” said Braun.
Defensively, the Devils are tough as nails. Junior Sarah Zureck (Lancaster/St. Mary’s) was named NCAA Division III honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She recorded a team high 516 digs. Zureck missed out on all conference honors due to missing the first round of Pool Play with an injury.
As a team, the Devils led the conference 17.17 digs per game, with Zureck’s 5.37 ranking first individually.
“Defense is part of our identity – making teams work to score points,” said Braun.
The Devils defense is also deep. Senior Danielle McNeil (West Seneca/St. Mary’s) and junior Jennifer Michelsen (Lakeview/Frontier) provide experienced depth, while freshman Lauren O’Hara (Canandaigua/Canandaigua) will also compete for time.”Floor defense will be one of our strengths and they will contribute there.”
The Devils open the season at the Cortland Tournament on Sept. 3. In addition to last year’s SUNYAC runner-up -- the Red Dragons -- also competing in the tournament are the 2009 SUNYAC champion New Paltz Hawks.
The following weekend is the Nazareth Tournament. The Golden Flyers are traditionally one of the New York Region’s top teams, and were 25-13 a year ago. Juniata – the No. 2 ranked team in the AVCA Division III pre-season poll – and NYU (29-10 in 2009) will also provide stiff competition.
The Devils have also added a pair of new teams to the schedule. The Blue and White travel to Cincinnati on Oct.16 to take on Mt. St. Joseph (24-10) and Mt. Union (23-7) in a tri-match.
Braun likes the challenge presented before his team. “(This) will be a couple of tough tournaments the first two weekends of the season, “ said Braun. “(Playing that type of competition) gives you an idea where you need to be.”
If history is any indication, it will be the top of the SUNYAC.