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Is It August Yet? Yes It Is. Let the Volleyball Season Begin.
Is It August Yet? Yes It Is. Let the Volleyball Season Begin.
Published by BeckysTXA
08-08-2021
Is It August Yet? Yes It Is. Let the Volleyball Season Begin.

Part 1 of 4: Back Row Players & Setters

Volleyball fans are familiar with the phrase “Bump, Set, Spike.” Many also know, “It all starts with a pass.” As the Dayton Flyers begin the Fall 2021 season, expectations have never been higher. Four short months ago, this program walked off a court after taking 6th ranked Washington to five sets in a match that defined the talent of last year’s team. COVID allowed only one match (Wright State) against anyone except A-10 opponents and only half the normal number of matches. Both of those facts resulted in the team heading into that match against a Top 10 team knowing they were good, but not having been tested enough to capitalize on their talent.

This program has been there before, especially in 2010 when another five-set loss prevented them from advancing to the Sweet 16. That year it was against Ohio State and it was two points that made the difference. Ironically, in both matches, Dayton was better in most stat categories, but lost with too many service errors. There is however, one HUGE difference between 2010 and 2021. In 2010 the team was loaded with star players that had just played their last collegiate match. That is not the case this Fall. Dayton returns all of its players except one. Never has Flyer Volleyball been so loaded with the talent that have proven they have what it takes to compete against Top 10 programs. And because of that, expectations are high…very high. The team reported this weekend to begin their journey that could end with historic results.

This is the first of a four-part series that will look at each position and the opportunity this year’s schedule presents. Since it all “starts with a pass” we will begin by looking at the back row players that deliver those passes. The group is deep and experienced. On the flip side, we will also look at the setter position - the most inexperienced position on the team, but there is talent and potential. Enjoy the ride. It should be an amazing year.

Senior Maura Collins will once again anchor the back row defense and serve receive. It will be her 4th year in the rotation. As a freshman she played defensive specialist next to two-time A-10 Libero of the Year Margo Wolf. Her sophomore year she stepped into the colored jersey and has been tremendous.

“Maura is an incredible piece to our success and has become one of the best leaders I’ve coached,” said Dayton Head Coach Tim Horsmon. “She doesn’t always get the numbers that many of the top liberos get due to what I believe is others’ respect of her ability. She doesn’t get served much and most teams don’t hit too many balls her way either,” he continued. “I love coaching Maura because her toughness and competitiveness are off the chart.

“Maura is very versed in what we do individually and in our system and I really just wanted her to be a great leader during the summer and keep everyone focused and on track,” he explained. “She continues to challenge herself to be the best serve receiver and setter she can be.”

(NOTE: In UD’s system, the L/DS positions need to be able to set the ball when the Setter is not available.)

Redshirt Junior Liz House arrived four years ago with Maura and has seen extensive time on the court as a defensive specialist in every season. She’s contributes with her defense and serve.

“House is a player that every coach dreams about having in their program,” Horsmon said. “She shows up every day and plays with a great effort and attitude. House also represents our program at a very high level off the court as well and is just a wonderful young woman.

“House can play all three back row positions and is a relentless defender,” he continued. “She’s continuing to work on her serve and pass consistency and will again be in the mix to be on the floor from day one this Fall. House keeps getting better and I think for her, it’s just confidence. When she is confident (out on the court) she is one of the best players in our gym.”

Both Maura and Liz are from Ohio and there are a couple Ohio players in the incoming freshman class. Dayton continues to make Ohio a recruiting priority. The state has provided UD with many A-10 POYs and AAs.

“We’ve obviously had numerous great players from the state of Ohio. Our state continues to turn out great players and it will always be important for us to be in the mix with the elite players here,” Horsmon explained. “I think for certain players it’s a great option to stay a little closer to home and have their parents in a proximity that allows our players to get home when they need to or have their parents easy access to get to Dayton.”

Last year’s freshman class of four were all outstanding. Half of them received post-season recognition, but I might have been most impressed by defensive specialist Anna Wuensch. The hardest skill in volleyball is to deliver a spot-on pass to the setter off an aggressive serve or to dig an attack. A lot of high school players struggle their freshman year when they get into a DI program and have to adjust to the speed and complexity of the college game. Many spend their first year watching and learning from the sidelines. Not Anna. She was just outstanding as a freshman.

“Anna never seems to let anything bother her and I think that really benefits her as a passer in particular,” Horsmon continued. “She sees the ball well and has really good touch. Anna is also a very good server and can serve to all zones on the court. She’s a good athlete and always seems up for the moment. I love how she plays and I never seem to worry about her. Her teammates love playing with her as well and expect her to only get better.”

It was Flyer Volleyball alumni Kortney Norris who told Dayton to take a look at Anna.

“Kortney called me about Anna and said we would love her. Said she was tough and competitive and raved about her and her family,” Horsmon confessed. “Anna was either coming back from UNC (North Carolina) and Tennessee, or getting ready to go there for visits. We had her come out and thought she was exactly what Kortney said she was…and she would be a great fit here at Dayton. Kort still has a great eye for Flyer talent.”

Those three players are back row only players. But Dayton now has a group of Outside Hitters that can play six-rotations. One of those players is two-time All-American Jamie Peterson. Opponents usually “go after” outside hitters in serve receive, thinking they won’t be as good as the defensive specialist or libero.

“We knew teams would focus on attacking her (in serve receive), “ Horsmon reveled. “And I thought she had a really solid year in this facet of the game. I think as she gets more reps and confidence you will see her elevate her game (in serve receive) even more.”

JPete also became one of Dayton’s best servers last year. Horsmon added, “Jamie’s hybrid serve is nasty and has created lots of issues for most teams that have had to receive it. It comes with pace and breaks from right to left. When she’s on it’s a game changer and an offensive weapon.”

JPete hit over .300 last year as a left pin hitter playing six rotations. That’s very, very good when just taking swings from the front row and JPete was taking them from all six zones on the court.

“Jamie hitting the 'bic' gives us another attacker when we are in our 5-1 system (setter in the front row) and our goal is to overwhelm the opponent’s blockers when we can,” Horsmon explained. “Opponents have Jamie to think about even when she is in the back row and that opens up our other attackers in those rotations. I expect her to really improve this part of her game this year.”

Hosmon sent Jamie off to summer workouts with two other goals. The first was, like Maura, to be a great leader this summer. The second was he wanted her to report in the Fall in the best shape of her life. JPete has more on her plate than any member of this team and she has handled every facet of her life extremely well including graduating last December, starting a Master’s degree and being an amazing mother to her son who will turn three years old soon. I’m betting she will do exactly what her coach challenged her to do and report in the best shape of her life. Horsmon said this will be Jamie’s final year.

As experienced as the back row players are this year, the Setter position is just the opposite and a wide open competition to replace A-10 Setter of the Year Bridget Doherty. Three setters are in camp headed by redshirt Sophomore Livie Sandt who has been in the program for two years. In January, freshman Alyssa Miller enrolled early and will benefit from practicing with the team last Spring. Horsmon & Co. added a third setter in Brooke Nichols. She was a decommit from Old Dominion.

“We will for sure have a competition this summer with our setters,” Horsmon declared. “We’re anxious to see how these three setters progressed this summer and I think each had very specific things they needed to work on. We are looking for consistency from this position. They have to locate the ball in our system and I think equally important, they need to have the ability to lead the team. My guess is this will be where I spend the most time and (Assistant Coach) Timmy (Balice) will need to have a great plan to prepare these three setters for a very challenging schedule and our talented team to set and lead.”

If Horsmon goes with a one-setter system, the setter will also have to perform back row skills. It’s a lot for a freshman to come in and perfect, which is why it was important for Miller to enroll in January. It’s the only position on the court that has to perform every skill set in volleyball. Sandt having two years in the program has an advantage in the quest to lead this team at Setter. Both she and Miller come with high school and club championship pedigrees. Miller was the 6A Kansas POY last year. On a side note, Miller played at Blue Valley West in Overland Park for Coach Jessica Horstick. It’s the same high school and coach that Kentucky’s setter Madison Lilly played for as a prep. Lilly not only led KY to the National Championship, she was also National Player of the Year and started 4 years at KY. I expect Miller to be ready to compete for the Setter position as a freshman.

Last year we also saw OHs Mahalia Swink and Alli Papesh contribute in the back row in specialist roles. Historically, Flyer teams have struggled to “find” enough OHs that can go six rotations. It’s a great advantage to know there is talent and depth that can step in. We have not had that depth before, and we haven’t even talked about freshman Lexie Almodovar yet. Last year’s team had two true freshman holding down the back court defense when we took on #6 Washington. Anna and Lexi aren't freshmen any more.

“Lex came to us from one of the top clubs in the country (Munciana) and they know how to teach ball control so she was more ready than most,” Horsmon said. “Lex just needed some solid reps passing against really aggressive servers and in particular with balls outside of her body. (Associate Coach) Alyssa D’Errico spent a lot of time working with Lex on this and she will benefit greatly from (the work) last Spring.

“We just need to see consistency from Lex as a serve receiver. That’s the most important skill we need to see improvement and I think we will,” he continued. “She is relentless defensively and I also think we may add her jump serve to the mix and of course more back row attacks. Lex had a great freshman year and exceeded our expectations as an attacker. We knew how talented she was and more so what kind of competitor she is. But, we didn’t know how she would hold up at attacking as a 5’8’ left side. Well she answered that question and we feel like her passing and defense will only get better this Fall.

“She hits the ball as hard and heavy as any player that I’ve ever coached so I think your best chance to stop her is to block her. I don’t think many teams will dig her heat. I’m also expecting growth from her attacking out of the back row.”

And then Horsmon told me something I almost couldn’t believe. He jokingly calls Lex the “5’ 4” Libero” because they did not recruit her as a hitter, but rather as a libero. (And, for the record she’s actually 5’8”.) He said, “Our little Five-Foot-Four Libero is now touching ten feet.”

The Phenom known as Lexie Almodovar who has the fastest arm swing I have ever seen and is super strong can now jump up and touch the basketball hoop rim. UNREAL.

Is it August 27th yet?
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  #1  
By Chris R on 08-08-2021, 08:36 PM
Awesome! Serve em' up!
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  #2  
By Lifelong Flyer Fan on 08-09-2021, 06:05 AM
Thanks!
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  #3  
By CJ#4 on 08-09-2021, 09:41 AM
Wow, I didn't realize UD gets the defending national champs at the Frericks Center to start the season!
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  #4  
By keats '91 on 08-09-2021, 10:48 AM
Becky does an awesome job with normal posts about UD Volleyball. Can't wait to see the remaining series of this extended format.

And yes, this year's schedule is REALLY good. I hope they gel early and take FULL advantage. Also hope I (we?) will be allowed to view some of these games live and in person.
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  #5  
By BeckysTXA on 08-09-2021, 11:02 AM
Originally Posted by CJ#4 View Post
Wow, I didn't realize UD gets the defending national champs at the Frericks Center to start the season!
This is why adding the Louisville Exhibition to the schedule the week before could be the most critical schedule match this year. We have to figure out who is going to set and in what system - a 1 setter offense or a 2-setter offense. Louisville returns everyone that blocked for them last year and they finished #1 in that category. We’ve got hitters that can score. We need a setter that can read the block and send it to the open hitter - all in like 3 seconds 100+ time a match. Going against Louisville’s block 2 weeks from now will help the team get ready for KY, Cincy and TX St the next weekend.
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