August 26, 2014
Women's Volleyball Season Preview
The Eagle volleyball team enters the 2014 season with an intense 2014 schedule including numerous NAIA and NCAA Division III competition. The Eagles begin their season this Tuesday night traveling to Concordia University in Seymor, Nebraska returning home to host the 2014 Spikefest Tournament this Friday and Saturday which fields four NCCAA II National Tournament teams including national runner up Ozark Christian College.
"This is as difficult of an opening schedule as I can remember. There will be no let up in competition and we are going to really need to be intense to grind out victories" remarked Coach Lanny Nihart. The Eagles return a strong core of upperclassmen from last year's winning season. Senior setter and captain Stephanie Knupp will provide leadership with junior's JoJo Hodak and Kimberly Post adding all around play. Sophomore Alyssa Larson will provide experience at the middle blocker position.
Promising new freshmen include Emily Wolfe an outside hitter who excelled at Grandview Park Baptist, Emilie Morton from the state of Utah, Emily Bernhard from Illinois, Shannon Steffen from English Valleys High School (Iowa), Hannah Tee from Iowa and Joy Smith from Ankeny Christian Academy.
"We lost two very valuable seniors last year, Natalie Bunjer and Julia Rocha a NCCAA All-American and our all time kills leader. We have a lot of digs, serves, and attacks to make up for and as a coaching staff we are excited to see which players will come through," noted Nihart. "We believe we can be competitive again in both the Midwest Christian College Conference and the North Central Region."
"We will likely run a 5-1 offense with Stephanie at the helm. She has done a great job over the past 3 seasons to understand where to set and how to lead. As players develop we will have opportunity to run a modified 5-1 with other setters allowing Stephanie at opportune times to add some offensive punch. JoJo will need to provide us with exceptional passing, Kim will be one of our go to players and Alydsa will battle our opponents #1 middle. We have had a good training camp and I anticipate the new players to find their way and begin contributing right away," cited coach Nihart.
You can follow the 2014 Eagle results at faith.edu/athletics including viewing the streamlining of certain matches.
