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(10/02/00 5:19am)
The volleyball team dropped two Big Ten games this weekend in its conference home openers. The Hoosiers are 10-4 overall and 1-3 in the Big Ten.\nIU fell to Iowa (7-5, 3-1) in five games Friday (5-15, 15-12, 15-9, 7-15, 6-15) and then dropped three consecutive games to No. 6 Minnesota Saturday (15-9,15-12, 15-8).\nThe Hoosiers lacked momentum and energy in its first game against Iowa. Only four players managed to produce a hitting percentage number. Sophomore setter Laurie Gardner and sophomore outside hitter Hillary Toivonen didn't post their usual strong numbers.\n"Coach said it in the locker room (after the game) that we didn't come out ready to play," Toivonen said. "It really showed in the first game. They jumped out on top and kept scoring, and we didn't respond."\nThe Hoosiers managed to step up their play in the second game and jumped to an early lead. The Hawkeyes tied the match at 9-9. IU held them off to won the second and third games. IU led the match 2-1 going into the fourth game.\nIn the fourth game, the Hawkeyes jumped out to an early lead. The Hoosiers rallied back to tie it, but problems with communication led to an IU loss. The Hawkeyes dominated the the fifth game with strong serving and kills to take the match.\n"Once they got one point on us, we seemed to get down," senior outside hitter Amanda Welter said. "We weren't coming back and fighting against them. We need to make sure that we become more mentally tough."\nSenior middle blocker Laura Dewitz led the team in hitting percentage with .435. Welter and freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer each ended with .353. Brewer and Toivonen each served three aces.\nThe Hoosiers looked more prepared to play against Minnesota. Although IU lost three consecutive games to the Golden Gophers, it managed to hang with them in a match that took two hours.\n"We came out and played very well tonight," coach Katie Weismiller said. "We did a nice job of competing with them. Had this team played last night (against Iowa), we would have won 3-1."\nMinnesota jumped ahead of the Hoosiers in the first game, leading 1-6 early. The Hoosiers came back to retake the lead after a 7-0 run. The lead went back and forth between the two, until the Golden Gophers made a run to win the first game.\nIU found itself losing once again in the second game, but the Hoosiers cut the lead, tied the game and led at one point. Too many big kills and defensive blocks from Minnesota overwhelmed the Hoosiers. IU then dropped the second match.\n"That was a great team," Weismiller said. "We knew Minnesota's record is 15-0, and they're a very good team. They have a lot of offense, they're experienced and they're smart. Regardless of a 3-0 loss, I thought we came out and played very well tonight. We did a nice job of competing with them."\nWelter led the team with 13 kills and a .323 hitting percentage. Freshman outside hitter Nicole Hill and Toivonen each added 11 kills, and Gardner ended with 46 assists.\n"Right now, we're trying to learn how to limit the strengths from the other team," Weismiller said. "We know that we can come back, the key is that we can't give them that string of points. And that's what we're learning right now. We just have to figure out a couple things to tweak and we can win some of these"
(09/20/00 1:33am)
The women's volleyball team ended its nonconference play this weekend with a record of 9-1.\nAfter a loss Friday night to No. 20 Loyola-Marymount (7-1), the Hoosiers were able to pull it together, break a school record and sweep Marquette (15-7, 15-5, 15-8) and Duke (15-8, 16-14, 17-15).\nThe Hoosiers suffered bouts of miscommunication, missed plays and botched opportunities in its loss to Loyola (15-9, 15-6, 15-10). \n"I thought our defense played great," coach Katie Weismiller said. "Our transition game is where we struggled. We weren't able to terminate from our side. We also struggled from the service line."\nIU fell early in the Loyola match and was down 7-1 in the first game. The Hoosiers managed to pull within four before the Lions took advantage of a missed hit and won the game. The second and third matches left IU in a big deficit, from which they were unable to pull themselves. \nBig plays by Loyola senior Sarah McFarland, who won tournament MVP honors, gave the Lions the edge. McFarland ended the match with 17 kills and 24 attacks.\nBoth teams ended with 52 kills, but the Hoosiers .118 attack percentage hurt them in the end. Not even 15 kills from senior outside hitter Amanda Welter and 12 kills from sophomore outside hitter Hillary Toivonen could help the Hoosiers.\n"We were getting a lot of opportunities," Welter said. "But we weren't trying to put the ball away, we were trying to play it safe. I'm frustrated. The first loss isn't easy."\nThe Hoosiers managed to turn their game around in the second match against Marquette (1-9). The Hoosiers were able to pull out to an early lead and hang on for the win.\nThey had a close call with the Golden Eagles in the second game of the match. After jumping to a 4-0 lead, Marquette managed to catch up and tie it at 5-5. But that was the last point the Golden Eagles would score in that game. In the third game, Marquette led most of the time until IU was able to tie it at 8-8 and then hold on for the win.\nFreshman outside hitter Nicole Hill, who was named to the All-Tournament team for the first time in her career, had an impressive showing. She led the team with 15 kills and had the most total attacks with 30. Welter and Toivonen also contributed with 14 and 13 kills respectively.\nIU ended the Marquette match with a .523 hitting percentage, setting a new school record. The old school record for hitting percentage had stood since 1991 when the Hoosiers totaled .489 against Michigan State.\n"Offensively we were on," Weismiller said. "We were passing well, and they couldn't stop our offense. Our hitting percentage shows that. On the other side of the coin, our blocking and defense wasn't what we wanted it be. We felt we could have played better in that match. It was a learning experience."\nThe final match of the tournament pitted IU against the Duke Blue Devils. Duke went into the match 2-0 after beating Loyola-Marymount.\nIn each game the Hoosiers were in trouble. In the second and third games, IU was down 11-14, with Duke almost winning both times. \nWelter's clutch plays helped the Hoosiers land both victories. She had a kill in the second game, giving IU a side-out. Duke missed a hit, and IU won. Then in the second game, she served an ace for the victory. Welter was also named to the All-Tournament team.\n"I think that it was real important step for us and come back and beat Duke." Welter said. "The third match of a tournament is always tough, you've played two, you're a little fatigued, and to come back and beat Duke is a great accomplishment, because they're really a good team."\nHill once again led the team with 17 kills and managed three service aces. Toivonen was close behind with 15 kills and two service aces, and freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer had 13 kills.\n"We've talked about focus and confidence all week during practice," Brewer said. "It definitely raised our confidence. It's great to end with a win"
(09/15/00 5:35am)
The volleyball team has been undefeated in each tournament thus far, and hopes the trend continues as they host the Blimpie/Hoosier Invitational this weekend.\nThe Hoosiers end their nonconference play this weekend, which starts with a match against Loyola-Marymount at 7 p.m. at the University Gym. The matches continue on Saturday against Marquette and Duke at noon and 7 p.m. respectively.\nIU has gone into Big Ten play undefeated three times in the past four years, and if the Hoosiers can make it past the weekend, then they will open conference play against Northwestern on a roll.\nBut, the Hoosiers will have to make it past No. 20 Loyola-Marymount. Like IU, the Lions are undefeated, and they also have won two tournaments. The similarities between the teams don't end there. The Hoosiers played Indiana State Wednesday, and won 3-2. Loyola-Marymount faced the Sycamores this past weekend and won 3-0.\n"It's a very big game because it is a ranked team," sophomore outside hitter Hillary Toivonen said. "It's also a west coast team, and there is kind of a rivalry between the West Coast teams and the Midwest, because we are in the Big Ten."\nLoyola-Marymount's big player is senior outside hitter Sarah McFarland. Measuring in at 6-foot-6, she will be the major force behind the Lions. In both of the Loyola-Marymount's tournaments, she has won MVP honors. Last year she led the NCAA with 750 kills.\nSaturday, the first match the Hoosiers play will be against Marquette. The Golden Eagles have not had as smooth as path as the Hoosiers, winning only one game out of seven. IU's second match of the day will be against Duke. \nThe Blue Devils haven't had the undefeated nonconference play like IU, but they come into the tournament at 6-2. Duke leads the Atlantic Coast Conference in two categories after eight games: service aces, which they have 63 on the season, and hitting percentage at .286.\nIU continues to improve on its weak spots and is using this weekend as another way to prepare for Big Ten play. According to coach Katie Weismiller, these matches will be a big test for the team, but that the Hoosiers are a long way away from where they want to be.\n"We need to communicate on the court," senior middle blocker Laura Dewitz said. "Be able to talk to each other and flow with each other on the court."\nToivonen said another area the Hoosiers have to work on is their blocking game. Indiana State totalled 82 kills against the IU.\nOne bonus for the team is home court advantage. After opening the season at Assembly Hall because of heat problems in the University Gym, the team will be able to play for the first time at what they consider home.\n"It's nice to be playing back in the University Gymnasium," Weismiller said. "It's a great facility for us, and a huge home-court advantage. We could use a ton of fans out here. If we could get a ton of fans to pack this place, hopefully we could keep our unbeaten streak alive"
(09/12/00 5:29am)
The volleyball team's undefeated record will be put to the test today, as it travels to Terre Haute to take on Indiana State.\nThe Hoosiers are 6-0 and look to continue their success.\n"Facing another team in Indiana, we want to show that we are the best team in the state," sophomore setter Laurie Gardner said. "It's another match we can get under our belt before we go into the Big Ten season."\nThe Hoosiers are coming off successful weekend play. The team traveled to Pittsburgh and returned with three wins. \nIU is hoping to keep up the intensity it gained this past weekend and to continue improving while facing its intrastate competition.\nIndiana State University (4-3) dropped two games last weekend at the Loyola-Marymount Classic. The team managed to gain a victory against Central Michigan, but lost against No. 21 Loyola Marymount and Connecticut.\nDespite its perfect record, IU spent its Monday practice watching film and picking up on its offense in preparation for the match.\nGardner said she and the team anticipate a good match against the Sycamores, although they lost last weekend.\nConfidence is on the Hoosiers' side. IU leads the series against Indiana State by 17-2, and freshman outside hitter Nicole Hill said the improvement the team has shown will help them against the Sycamores.\n"In our last tournament (in Pittsburgh), we built up our confidence," Hill said. "We had big improvements this weekend in our offense, and we want to continue with that."\nIU posted several season highs this past weekend. Gardner tied her season-best against Pittsburgh and Arkansas with 49 assists. She also racked up three aces, the most by anyone on the team this year. Senior outside hitter Amanda Welter managed to post a .609 hitting percentage for the Hoosiers against Pittsburgh.\nAs a team, the Hoosiers had five new season highs. They include total hitting percentage by the team, which was .343. IU had seven aces against Arkansas and Pittsburgh. The Hoosiers also set new highs in solo blocks and total blocks.\n"We want to play at the level we played this weekend," senior defensive specialist JoAnne Amstutz said. "Hopefully everything will go smoothly"
(09/07/00 5:27am)
To anyone who doesn't know her well, freshman Melissa Brewer looks like any other student and just another player on the volleyball court.\nBut if they saw her at night, after her contacts have been taken out, they'd find a different story.\nBrewer's glasses are not normal glasses. In fact, if there weren't frames, it would be easy to mistake the lenses for the bottoms of glass bottles.\nThat's because Brewer has been legally blind since she was five.\nHer mother first realized she had a vision problem when she found Brewer watching television sideways. Because Brewer couldn't focus on the television from the front, she had to turn to the side to watch it out of the corner of her eye.\nA quick trip to the eye doctor confirmed that her eyesight was in worse condition than that of other 5-year-olds. Being legally blind doesn't mean she can't see at all; just that when she isn't wearing her glasses or contacts, she can't make out defintions or features. It also means that people become blurred objects.\n"Most people wear minus-2 prescription contacts," Brewer said. "I wear a minus-9 and a half prescription."\nDespite her blindness, she has managed to lead a normal life. Brewer, who attended Bloomington High School North, played basketball and softball before quitting to concentrate on volleyball.\nOn her high school team, she set an all-time record for career kills and was named to Class 4A All-State first team and won all-conference awards.\nAlthough Brewer can see fine with her contacts in, she has to be careful to take care of them, or she could have problems with her eyes. She has to replace the lenses every week or the world becomes blurry, leading to problems from seeing the board in class to hitting a ball in a game.\nShe also has to make sure to take them out every night or else the blood vessels in her eyes will grow rapidly, which, when she was younger, almost landed her in surgery.\n"If I don't get my prescription right, then I can't see hardly anything at all," Brewer said. "I have to get checked up really often to make sure I can see the ball when passing. It can be difficult."\nThose frequent check ups keep Brewer's eyesight in such good shape that coach Katie Weismiller said the blindness is not a factor in her play.\nBrewer made her debut last weekend for the IU volleyball team in front of a hometown crowd. She started and played in all three matches and showed unusual leadership for a freshman.\n "Melissa coming in was unbelievable," senior outside hitter Amanda Welter said. "We knew she had to step up and play, and she took the role on and stayed with us."\n In more of the tense moments in the matches against Bowling Green and Loyola-Chicago, it was Brewer calling for the ball. At the end of the tournament, despite her nervousness, she collected 19 kills and 36 digs for all three matches.\n She has made an impact on her teammates on and off the court. Welter, paired as Brewer's buddy during the first week of preseason, said Brewer has a great sense of humor and makes the whole team laugh. During preseason camp, Brewer had the whole team in stitches when she performed a skit for them.\nBrewer will play a key role this weekend for the Hoosiers as they travel to Pittsburgh to face Miami (Ohio), Arkansas and Pittsburgh. As part of who she is as a player, she will be prepared to play when IU takes the court.\n"She's a type of player who likes to be on the court," Weismiller said. "Melissa loves to play, and she works hard"
(09/04/00 5:46am)
More than once during the Loyola-Chicago match, in which the volleyball team found themselves struggling to get a win, IU freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer called for the ball. She showed surprising initiative for her first tournament, but her leadership was encouraged by her coach and team.\nBrewer started in all three of the matches, and as the tournament went on, Brewer's play advanced. She started out with a negative attack percentage against Cincinnati, had zero attack percentage in the match against Bowling Green and had a .088 against Loyola.\n"It's progressing: Everyone on the bench, the whole time, is telling me to have confidence," Brewer said. "It was stressful at first, but it's a new thing, but people are telling me the whole time to have confidence in yourself; you'll do it. I'm totally getting feedback from everyone what could help for me to get better. It's really built my confidence up."\nHer display of confidence on the court wasn't the only showing for the seven new players on the team. Freshman Nicole Hill, who played for the first time in her career as an outside hitter, had the second highest number of kills (12) for IU against Cincinnati and was one of the leaders with digs. She started all three matches and was on the bench for a limited time. Hill also had an ace in both the Cincinnati game and the Bowling Green game.\nFreshman defensive specialist Beth Heimann was used several times as a substitute for senior outside hitter Amanda Welter, and found playing time in all three matches. Like Hill, she was among the leaders in digs against Cincinnati, and had 13 digs against Loyola.\n"The freshman really stepped up (this weekend), and got over the nerves quickly," coach Katie Weismiller said. "Every time they touched the ball, they gained confidence."
(09/04/00 5:46am)
The volleyball team opened their season this weekend exactly the way coach Kate Weismiller wanted them to; with three wins and the championship of the IU Credit Union/Hoosier Invitational. The team had three tough matches against Cincinnati, Bowling Green and Loyola-Chicago, and although they had a couple of scares, the team came out undefeated.\n Friday, the Hoosiers kicked off the tournament by dispatching the Cincinnati Bearcats 15-12, 15-10, 15-11. After a shaky start, in which IU fell behind 3-8 in the first game, the young team settled down and went on to easily defeat the Bearcats in a three-game sweep. \n IU increased its offensive attack in each game and clearly seemed to come together as the match progressed. A slow start was expected as three freshman took the court for the first time in a varsity match, but they were able to answer the call and contribute in the win. Freshman outside hitter Nicole Hill recorded 12 digs and was second in kills (12) for IU behind sophomore outside hitter Hillary Toivonen who led the Hoosiers with 16. \n "(We were) happy to start with a win, because Cincinnati is a very good team and they challenged us the entire way," Weismiller said. "The team came together tonight and really formed as a team on the court."\nSaturday, the team played two matches, the first against Bowling Green. The team managed to hang on to win the match 15-8, 15-13, 14-16, 16-14, but the play was not pretty, and there were some rough patches for IU. The team started out strong, winning the first two games. But, according to Weismiller, over-confidence got the best of the team, and the Hoosiers fell to Bowling Green in the third game. \nIn that game, the team started the match out strong, leading early by eight points, but Bowling Green got the serve back, and went on a four-point run. The Falcons went on to pass the Hoosiers and won on an ace. In the fourth game, the Hoosiers also found themselves down but managed to pull it together to win on a Toivonen kill. \n"We were on a roller coaster ride the whole match," senior outside hitter Amanda Welter said. "We're learning how to focus through an entire match, so we're going to have those scares, but they are going to make us stronger."\nToivonen led the team in digs against Bowling Green with 16 and was second in kills (13). Welter led the team in kills with 14. Freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer and Hill tied for total attacks for the team with 31 each.\nThe team faced Loyola-Chicago later that day, and although they had already won the tournament, the match was still an important one. The team was able to fight through the rough moments of the match and a second game loss, to hang on to win 15-12, 8-15, 16-14, 15-11.\nIn the second game, Loyola-Chicago jumped to a big lead, and although IU managed to keep up with Loyola, the Hoosiers let it slip away. Loyola went on a big run, giving them a 3-10 lead. IU managed to cut the lead to 8-12 but were unable to produce any other points.\nThe final two games of the match were similar to the second one. IU found itself down several times, but leadership from Welter and a surprising Brewer helped the Hoosiers to the win.\nToivonen ended the tournament leading the team with 25 kills and 26 digs. Welter had 19 kills.\n"We had so much confidence going into that game (against Loyola), even though we were down, we knew we were going to win," Toivonen said. "That's the really good thing about this team; we knew we were the better team. And in our position, we had to win. It was our home court and we were going to do it any way we had to do it. It may have been ugly, but we came together as a team."
(09/01/00 5:27am)
The volleyball team found itself having to adjust to a new setting last night, before it faced Cincinnati.\nOnly hours before their practice, the Hoosiers found that instead of playing in the University Gym, where their matches are usually held, they were to play in Assembly Hall, which is noticeably larger.\nThe reason for the change in venue was because Assembly Hall has air conditioning, and the University Gym does not. The gym's temperature is too hot and humid for the games to be played there.\nThe change will be noticeably different for the team. Although the team has home-court advantage, because of the size difference it will seem as if the support from the fans is less than it really is.\n"I'm excited and nervous," freshman setter Beth Heimann said. "I'm excited to run out of the tunnel, and it's going to be even better because it's here (at Assembly Hall)."\nThe team was pretty relaxed regardless of the change of atmosphere. The athletes stuck with their normal routine of warm-ups, despite the managers who worked around them, laying tape on the floor for the tournament.\nThe Hoosiers take on Cincinnati at 8 p.m. Friday in the first of three games IU plays this weekend. Cincinnati, like the Hoosiers, ended its season at the NCAA tournament last year, and will be a tough test for IU. Cincinnati has three starters returning to the line-up, including senior middle blocker Stephanie Meinig who was a preseason All-Conference USA selection. \n"Cincinnati has a young setter, but they also have experienced players in key positions," IU coach Katie Weismiller said. "It's going to be a battle for us."\nBowling Green State University and Loyola-Chicago each finished with 20-plus wins last season, and will be difficult foes for IU, when the Hoosiers face them at noon and 7 p.m. Saturday.\nThese preseason matches are important for the Hoosiers. In past preseasons, IU has gone undefeated, which led to their appearance in last year's NCAA tournament.\nIU has a couple of obstacles to overcome before tomorrow. Although the lineup is pretty much set, there have been a few minor injuries, which could change the lineup. These injuries, including a sprained ankle and a back spasm, were expected to be cleared up at their practice Thursday night.\nThe offense is almost set for the tournament. Junior Laurie Gardner will be their setter. Senior Amanda Welter starts as their right outside hitter. Senior Laura Dewitz will be in the middle as a blocker, and sophomore Hillary Toivonen as the back outside hitter. The rest of the spots are anticipated to be filled by freshmen.\nToday will be a new experience for the freshmen players. The day includes a light practice in which the team members will work on serving and passing. The team joins for a pre-game meal, then meets with the coaches to prepare for the game.\nThe team will then make its debut, and despite the expected battle it faces from Cincinnati, the Hoosiers hope to come away with a victory.\n"A win will give us confidence," Toivonen said. "We're a young team, and we are ready to play, we just don't know what to expect"
(08/30/00 6:00am)
When senior Amanda Welter was entering her final year in high school she had a decision to make. Would she accept a scholarship to play volleyball, or would she accept one to play basketball?\nLuckily for the volleyball team, she took her aunt's advice and played volleyball. Now, Welter is IU's leading outside hitter.\nChoosing where to play was an easy choice for Welter. Although she had been offered scholarships to Cincinnati, Kentucky and Syracuse, all it took was one visit to the Bloomington campus. The next day, Welter told coach Katie Weismiller she would be joining the Hoosiers.\n"I chose IU, one for the Big Ten, (because) you can't find competition like it anywhere else," Welter said. "I also wanted a team that was building as opposed to a team that was already at the top, because I wanted to be the foundation of something. I wanted to be someone that started something."\nFour years later, Welter is entering her final year and said she has high hopes to take the team back to the NCAA tournament, where she has been the past two years.\nThis season, Welter is taking on the role as leader of the team and being IU's "go-to" player.\nWelter returns as one of the most experienced members of the team. She played in all 31 matches last season and earned recognition as a Big Ten Player of the Week. This year, Welter will also carry a lot of weight on the team because only seven players are returning. Welter is one of only three seniors.\nBut being a leader is nothing new for Welter, who is the second oldest in a family of five and was the captain of both her volleyball and basketball teams in high school. \n"She's a great leader," sophomore setter Laurie Gardner said. "She really wants to win, and she's a very vocal leader on the court because she tells people where to go." \nWelter comes from an athletic background. Her older brother played football for Eastern Michigan. As a young girl, she played basketball, softball and soccer before her father asked if she wanted to play volleyball.\nIn high school, she narrowed down her sports and stood out during her career in volleyball. Welter earned honors for making the All-City, All-District and All-League at McAuley High School in Cincinnati. She was also a three-year starter for her high school's basketball team.\nAt IU, Welter has gained the respect of her team both on and off the court. Gardner said Welter looks out for her teammates, always making sure they have rides and that they are doing OK. At the beginning of the preseason, she was paired with freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer, whom Welter helped find her way around campus.\n"Amanda is very free spirited," Weismiller said. "She walks to her own beat and other players respect her because she tries to be nothing but Amanda."\nOn the court, her competitive edge comes out. Weismiller said Welter has the drive to win, and after the NCAA tournament, her face showed her hurt and disappointment after the team fell to Clemson in the second round.\nThis year Welter will be an offensive threat for the Hoosiers. Towering at 6-foot-3, she plays higher over the net than other outside hitters giving her and the team an advantage heading into the first weekend of play, which happens this Friday against Cincinnati.\n"I am looking forward to playing Big Tens," Welter said. "I am also looking forward to making an impression on the teams that we play are out to work real hard"
(08/25/00 4:58am)
As the volleyball team prepared for its daily practice yesterday, it hardly resembled a 10-day-old team. Instead, the players sat in a circle and laughed like they've known each other for years.\nIn truth, the team has only been together since the beginning of the preseason on Aug. 15. This isn't your normal, everyone's-returned team. There are seven new players on the team and all are freshmen.\n In addition to dealing with the obvious being-away-from-home situation for the first time, the new players are preparing for their first collegiate volleyball match Sept. 1. Because the team has so many rookies, three may start when the team faces Cincinnati.\n "We will have freshman on the court at all times," senior outside hitter Amanda Welter said. "So they really have to step it up and mature fast, but they are learning fast and catching on to everything."\n The girls haven't had time to let nerves get the best of them. The team installed a buddy system for the freshmen players. Each freshman was paired with an upperclassman to show them everything from their normal warmup in practice to where the Indiana Memorial Union is. They also spent the first couple days living in the dorms with each other in order to get to know each other better.\nWhen the Hoosiers began preseason workouts, some new players were taken by surprise on how difficult collegiate practice is compared to high school workouts. The women were expected to run the mile along with various other workouts.\n"It was really stressful," freshman middle blocker Melissa Brewer said. "It was a lot of work, and the girls push you the entire time. It was just all out toughness."\n The team has had to make a few adjustments. There is pressure on the freshmen to keep up with their workouts and to make sure they can push to the level of the other players. Instead of just being able to do the drills, the veteran players must stop and teach the new players.\nWelter said the older players aren't able to spend time getting in shape but were expected to return to IU in top shape in order to devote their time to teaching the new players. The team also had to spend time making sure the freshmen felt welcome.\nThere is concern for new leadership on the team. When last season ended, the team lost five of its most vocal leaders, creating an opening for other players to step up. The team is expected to be led by sophomore setter Laurie Gardner, but coach Katie Weismiller anticipates all returning players to be positive leaders for the team.\nThere is a lot of pressure to stay on track for the freshman players, but Weismiller and the rest of the team are focused on keeping the rookies encouraged. Weismiller said she focused on recruiting players that could not only handle the pressure of being part of the team, but also handle the new independence. Weismiller said the attitude of the team is already promising, so handling the academics and extracurricular shouldn\'t be an issue for the players.\nAs for the freshman players, they are ready to get out on the court and show their talent in the first match.\n "I'm really nervous, because there's a lot of pressure," Brewer said. "I'm up for it; I think the team is up for it. We've been working really hard, and we are going to be prepared"