8/30/2004 - Women's Volleyball
Navy Volleyball to Open Season This Week

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The opening week of the 2004 season has arrived for the Navy volleyball team and it will be a busy one with the Mids slated to play five matches in a span of four days.

"We're very excited about the start of the season," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "We have had a good fall training period and are looking forward to getting the season started. We have a challenging first week of matches ahead of us against teams who all present a different style of play."

The season begins Wednesday when the Mids play host to Saint Francis (Pa.) in a 6 p.m. match in Macdonough Hall. The Red Flash returns all but one player from their 2003 squad that posted a 12-18 record. Included in the returnees are senior outside hitter Nichole Hyer (3.31 kills per game, 2.46 digs per game last year), senior middle hitter Kimberly Duke (2.25 kpg, 0.85 blocks per game, .297 hitting percentage) and sophomore outside Anne Roosevelt who was the team's setter last season (523 assists).

Navy will then participate in the North Carolina A&T Aggie Classic Friday and Saturday. The Mids will face Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Friday at 2 p.m., with a match against Savannah State to follow at 4 p.m. Saturday has Navy starting the day against the tournament-host Lady Aggies at 8 a.m., then will close the tournament at 12 Noon against Campbell.

Texas A&M - Corpus Christi returns five players from a 2003 squad that ended the year with a 14-24 record. The Islanders return their top libero from last season in junior Kaley Rombs (2.98 dpg) as well as senior middle blocker Lauren Smith who led the team with 79 blocks one year ago. The top returning attacker for the Islanders is senior right side hitter Alexis Berger (1.74 kpg).

Savannah State, 3-29 last season, returns its top-two attackers in junior outside hitter Lynn Tyldesley (2.20 kpg, 1.75 dpg) and sophomore middle hitter Satin Kinsey (1.73 kpg).

The Lady Aggies won nine of their last-12 matches to end the 2003 season with a 14-13 record. The lone three players back from that squad are senior right side hitter Leinitia Williams (0.92 kpg, 0.83 dpg), and sophomore outside hitters Arlene and Darlene Mitchell. Arlene was second on the team last year in both kills (3.01) and digs (2.32) per game last season, while Darlene averaged 1.38 kills per game on the year.

While North Carolina A&T returns only three players from last year, Campbell returns all but three players from its 2003 squad that was 2-25 on the campaign. Back for the Camels are right side hitter/middle blocker Rachel Templin (2.29 kpg), senior setter Tawnee Hensel (7.39 assists per game) and sophomore middle hitter Brittany Rusin (0.94 bpg).

Navy also returns the majority of its 2003 team that was 11-17 on the season and placed fifth in the Patriot League with a 5-9 mark. Leading the way are a trio of Mids who received postseason accolades from the Patriot League last year -- senior outside hitter Ashley Van Hartesvelt (Breckenridge, Colo.), junior setter Ashley Musser (Industry, Pa.) and sophomore middle blocker Beth McArthur (Roseville, Minn.).

Van Hartesvelt, who received Second-Team All-Patriot League honors for the second time in her career last year, averaged 2.99 kills per game on the 2003 season, a mark that improved to 4.36 during the league season. She became just the second Mid to notch her 1,000th-career kill as a junior and enters the season as the lone player in the Patriot League to have surpassed that milestone.

Musser also was named to the league's second team one year ago, a season that saw her play both the setter and outside hitter positions in nearly every game. She averaged 2.10 kills and 5.24 assists and 1.56 digs per game in that dual role last year.

McArthur was tabbed as the league's freshman of the year during her initial season on The Yard. She ranked second on the team to Van Hartesvelt in kills (2.23 kpg) and digs (2.02 dpg) last year while leading the squad in blocks (0.72 bpg).

2004 Navy Season Outlook
With the return of three players who received postseason honors from the Patriot League, two additional players who started or played in a majority of last season's matches and a total of seven letterwinners, experience is one of the key reasons why hopes are high for the Navy volleyball team this season.

"When I look at the roster, the first thought that jumps out to me is the experience of this team," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "We have three all-league honorees and two additional starters back, something we have not had in my previous eight seasons. Even in the years when we did go to the tournament, I don't think we had the amount of experience returning and the quality of depth that we do this year. This allows us to concentrate right from the start of the fall on progressing this team, instead of having to spend a lot of time teaching the basics. We can pick up right where we left off last spring."

In addition to having the luxury of seeing the heart of the roster train and have success on the court together this past spring, Schwob saw the players renew the commitment of the entire team to continue doing whatever it takes to produce a winner in the fall.

"We had a strong spring season," said Schwob. "We worked hard and had success against some very good teams. But beyond the on-the-court success, what most impressed me this spring was the renewed dedication of this team to carry that success into the fall. As a result, everyone continued to work hard over the summer and came to camp this fall ready to play and ready to win."

Navy's top returning players are outside hitter Ashley Van Hartesvelt, setter Ashley Musser and middle blocker Beth McArthur.

Van Hartesvelt, named Second-Team All-Patriot League in 2001 and '03, is just the fourth Mid since Navy moved to the Division I level in 1991 to record 1,000-career kills and joins Rachel Shropa as the lone players to achieve the feat during their junior season. With 1,007 kills to her credit, Van Hartesvelt leads all returning players in the Patriot League. Despite playing through a back injury that caused her to miss several matches last year, Van Hartesvelt still ranked third in the league with a career-high 3.99 kills per game, a mark that improved to 4.36 kills per game during the Patriot League season.

In addition to her gaudy offensive numbers, Van Hartesvelt stood out on defense as well, hauling in a career-high 2.30 digs per game on the season and 2.98 digs per game during the 14-match league campaign.

"Ashley really wants to prove what she is capable of, and that is a real dominant force who is a threat to attack the ball from anyplace on the floor," said Schwob. "She also developed her jump serve into a real asset and provides a lot of stability with her passing ability. We have played Ashley at middle blocker, on the right side and now on the left during her career. Now that we have found the best spot for her, I expect Ashley to have a great senior year.

Joining Van Hartesvelt to make up an impressive front row is the sophomore McArthur. Last season's Patriot League Freshman of the Year when she tallied over 200 kills, nearly 200 digs and 60 blocks, Schwob will be looking for her to step up her game even more this year.

"I think we only saw glimpses last year of what Beth can do," said Schwob. "She is a physical talent who will have to step up her game this year as she will now be a major focus of opposing defenses, but with dedication she is fully capable of doing just that."

Rounding out the triumvirate of returning all-league honorees is Musser. The only Mid to appear in every game last season as a sophomore, Musser garnered second-team all-league accolades as she rotated between the setter and outside hitter positions in nearly every game. She led Navy with 524 assists and ranked third with 210 kills, while also leading Navy and the league and ranking 10th in the country with 0.67 service aces per game.

After moving around Navy's lineup last fall, Musser concentrated on the setters position this spring and her development was evident to all.

"With her being able to focus only on the one position, Ashley really developed into a top-notch setter this spring," said Schwob. "She developed in the offense from a setter who just delivered the ball to one who gave us the best option based on the situation."

Two additional seniors who have received significant playing time since their arrival at Navy are middle blocker Amanda McHenry and outside hitter and team captain Katey Geary.

McHenry put together the most productive season of her career in 2003, setting career highs for kills (148), digs (32) and blocks (82). After totaling 57 kills and 69 digs in her first-two seasons at Navy, Geary knocked down 174 kills and hauled in 116 digs last fall and continued to raise her level of play throughout the spring.

"Amanda has been the workhorse of our program," said Schwob. "A four-year starter, no one on the team wants to win more than she does. She has come into camp focused and ready to play.

"Katey played extremely well in the spring. She brings a toughness to the floor. Katey has impressed me with how she deals with tough sets at the net. She can now recover and put something on the ball on every swing. Her passing also improved this spring."

Another player who used the spring to impress the coaches was sophomore middle blocker Megan Boyd.

"Megan did a good job for us at middle this spring," said Schwob. "She is very athletic and uses her quickness to close blocks and make herself available in transition offense."

Navy also returns a pair of junior back row players in Megan Vehovic and Andrea Wernecke. Vehovic has appeared in over 100 games and hauled in over one dig a game in her career, while Wernecke saw spot playing time last season, her first on the collegiate level.

Two additional players in sophomores Kim Koss and Karla Lazenby round out the veterans on the roster, both of whom contributed at several positions when called upon.

"Kim and Karla both are very versatile players and we are trying to find the best spot in the line for them," said Schwob. "Once we do that I expect them to contribute even more than they have."

Even though there are incumbents at every position, Schwob sees his Class of 2008 battling for not just playing time, but also for starting positions.

"This is the first time in my nine years that the freshman class will provide us with as much depth as this class does," said Schwob. "As we need to call on one of them, I have a lot of confidence they will respond."

Outside hitter Rachel Dougherty, back row player Nicole England, outside hitter/middle blocker Jackie Ludeman and outside hitter Diane Sheldon are all expected to challenge for court time.

Four others -- outside hitter Elizabeth Grider, middle blocker Katie Erwin and setters Aimee' Burns and Amber Demme -- also have the potential to contribute to the program during their freshman seasons.