9/21/2004 - Women's Volleyball
Volleyball Opens League Season Thursday
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy volleyball team will look to carry the momentum from the best start to a season in school history into its Patriot League opener Thursday night as the Mids play host to American at 7 p.m. in Macdonough Hall. The Midshipmen enter the match having posted a 10-1 record this season, while three-time defending league champion American brings a 4-4 mark to The Yard.
"We are very excited and proud of what we have been able to accomplish, thus far," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "Starting the season off well was one of the our goals when we opened our fall practice. But as happy as we are with what we have done, our record now goes right back to 0-0, we are tied with every team in the league and we have to prove ourselves all over again. Hard work, focus and consistency was what gave us our strong start to the season. We have to remember how we made it to 10-1 and continue building off of that as we start league play."
The record for the Eagles is a bit misleading as included in their losses are setbacks to then No. 1-ranked USC, No. 15 Arizona and a Michigan team that enters the week with a 9-1 record. Cutrina Biddulph leads the team with 3.68 kills and 0.89 blocks per game, while Sabrina Vasconcelos is averaging just under four digs a game for the Eagles.
American has not lost a Patriot League match since joining the league for the start of the 2001 season and was selected in the league's preseason poll to win its fourth title this fall.
"American is once again the favorite and measuring stick for all other teams in the league," said Schwob. "We can't concern ourselves with what they do on their side of the net. We have to keep our focus and control our side."
The Midshipmen are led by senior outside hitter Ashley Van Hartesvelt (Breckenridge, Colo.), who picked up her second-straight league player of the week honor Monday. Van Hartesvelt leads the Patriot League with 4.74 kills per game and a .343 hitting percentage, while ranking second with 0.77 service aces per game. Sophomore middle blocker Beth McArthur (Roseville, Minn.) had her best week of the young season last week, averaging 3.08 kills and 3.62 digs per game and hitting .294 in Navy's four victories.
Senior team captain Katey Geary (San Jose, Calif.) also played well, averaging 3.00 kills and 2.58 digs on the week. Additional Navy standouts were junior setter Ashley Musser (Industry, Pa.) with 11.54 assists and 1.23 service aces per game, and junior libero Andrea Wernecke (Gaithersburg, Md.) with 4.67 digs per game.
"It was a nice week," said Schwob. "We won four matches and received great contributions from a number of different people. If one person wasn't playing well, someone else came in and picked up the slack. Everyone responded well to the many challenges they faced as individuals and as we encountered as a team."
