Tough season provides offseason work
Volleyball has plenty of time to make improvements to large returning team
After watching several of the teams the Kansas Volleyball team lost to advance to the Sweet 16, the women expect to make improvements and close the gap for next season. Offseason workouts have already begun and the coaching staff is looking forward to making the necessary adjustments.
By Rustin Dodd (Contact)
Tuesday, December 4th, 2007
A funny thing happened to coach Ray Bechard after his volleyball team closed out its season with a 3-0 victory against Texas Tech on Nov. 21. Bechard watched as Iowa State, Michigan State, Oregon, Nebraska and Texas advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.
Those teams accounted for eight of Kansas’ 17 losses, and Kansas was three points away from taking a 3-2 victory against Iowa State on Nov. 17. Yep, Bechard started to feel pretty good about his team.
“I think sometimes it looks like there is a big gap when really we’re not that far away,” Bechard said. “Bottom line is we had some matches we really needed to close that we didn’t.”
But Bechard said he was excited about the way his team finished the season.
Kansas won three of its last six matches, including victories against No. 18 Oklahoma, at Colorado and at Texas Tech.
Bechard said his team would now be focused on offseason workouts. Volleyball players can practice individually eight hours a week with the Kansas coaching staff.
Record:
“Now we can really break some things down individually,” Bechard said.
One thing Kansas will need to work on is its team offense. The Jayhawks were second to last in the Big 12 with a .184 team hitting percentage. Bechard said the key to improving was getting in the gym and getting repetitions.
Beginning in March and April, the team has a six-week training session, where the players can be together for 20 hours a week.
Those six weeks will be crucial for a team that loses two seniors, Emily Brown and Caitlin Mahoney, but returns 14 players to the fold. Bechard is confident that his young team will continue to develop.
13-17, 6-14 Big 12
Leaders:
Kills: Freshman Jenna Kaiser, 2.86 kills per game
Assists: Senior Emily Brown, 6.60 assists per game
Blocks: Junior Natalie Uhart, 1.17 assists per game
Aces: Freshman Karina Garlington, 0.33 assists per game
Digs: Freshman Melissa Manda, 3.97 digs per game
Team stats:
Kills per game: 14.05
Assists per game: 12.83
Blocks per game: 2.35
Aces per game:1.83
Digs per game: 14.49
Hitting percentage: .184
“I think the game will slow down for them, and it’ll make more sense,” Bechard said.
Brittany Williams’ return
Bechard said no timetable existed for the return of sophomore middle blocker Brittany Williams. Williams tore her anterior cruciate ligament during a late September practice. Bechard is hopeful that Williams will be healthy next fall. “If everything works out she would be in a situation where next fall she would be ready to go.” Bechard said.
Rest for Natalie Uhart
Bechard also said that the end of the season had provided some much needed rest for junior middle blocker Natalie Uhart.
“This is exactly what she needs,” Bechard said.
Uhart missed 10 matches this season with a congenital heart defect after missing all of 2006 with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Bechard anticipates that Uhart will be the healthiest she has been since suffering her knee injury.
— Edited by Jeff Briscoe
Discussion
All comments are moderated by Kansan.com staff. For our full user policy, click here.
Share your 2¢
Requires free registration.