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Volleyball Off to Hot Start
9/13/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
First year volleyball coach Allison Yaeger sat down with SHUPirates.com to discuss her team's hot-start to the 2012 season and how the team is looking forward to opening up play at historic Walsh Gymnasium.
What has the transition been like shifting from assistant to head coach?
Yaeger: It's been a lot more responsibility, but it's been so much more fun than I was expecting. For me, I know it's been easier because I didn't come into a program where I didn't know the kids or the style of play. I understood our player's personalities and what to say to get the best out of them. I'm still learning more and more every day, but I cannot believe how much fun I am having.
Talk about some of the keys to your success.
Yaeger: We came in to preseason talking about two things, being focused and having a sense of urgency. We continue to preach this before every match and I believe that's why we've had so much success. They believe from the second they step on the court that they can get the job done and they don't stop pushing until the match is completely over.
What has surprised you the most about this year's team?
Yaeger: This team never stops fighting. That has honestly been a little bit of a problem in the past. We've been down in a lot of games this year and in matches we've won, we've been down two, three, or even five points at certain points. Against Maryland, we were losing by a few points and our team just did not give up. They have a ton of confidence in each other and themselves, and that belief is getting stronger every time we have come back from deficits to win games. It is something that makes me very proud to coach this team.
How excited are you and the team to start playing in front of the home fans at Walsh Gym?
Yaeger: They are so excited! We really tried not to talk about it until this week, but they are ready to go. None of our opponents like playing in Walsh except for us. So many people have told us our Gym is so hard to play in. It's a perfect volleyball venue and there's such a great atmosphere. When we pack it and get students there, there are not many places that get louder. Our kid's reactions to the crowd are amazing and they really respond to the support. It's also nice that we are home for a nice period of time to regroup after being on the road so much to start the year.
Why is Seton Hall volleyball fun for fans to watch?
Yaeger: We like to play a fast offense, which means all of our sets are right at the top of the antenna. We play that way so that the other team has trouble closing on blocks, that leave a lot of favorable matchups for our team, and it helps our teams get a lot of kills. We also pride ourselves on our strong defense. You'll see just about everyone all over the floor diving for the ball. That leads to longer rallies and exciting games to watch.
What have you been seeing from other conference schools with BIG EAST play around the corner?
Yaeger: We pay close attention to how the other teams in the BIG EAST are doing. Everyone in the league is doing so well. Louisville is all the way at #12 in the polls and Syracuse had a great weekend, beating Iowa State. All the teams are pulling off great wins. It's really good for the BIG EAST and our conference RPI. We've had a challenging non-conference schedule so the team is not nervous about going into BIG EAST play. It's going to be a tough road this year, but I know our girls are ready for it.
What has the transition been like shifting from assistant to head coach?
Yaeger: It's been a lot more responsibility, but it's been so much more fun than I was expecting. For me, I know it's been easier because I didn't come into a program where I didn't know the kids or the style of play. I understood our player's personalities and what to say to get the best out of them. I'm still learning more and more every day, but I cannot believe how much fun I am having.
Talk about some of the keys to your success.
Yaeger: We came in to preseason talking about two things, being focused and having a sense of urgency. We continue to preach this before every match and I believe that's why we've had so much success. They believe from the second they step on the court that they can get the job done and they don't stop pushing until the match is completely over.
What has surprised you the most about this year's team?
Yaeger: This team never stops fighting. That has honestly been a little bit of a problem in the past. We've been down in a lot of games this year and in matches we've won, we've been down two, three, or even five points at certain points. Against Maryland, we were losing by a few points and our team just did not give up. They have a ton of confidence in each other and themselves, and that belief is getting stronger every time we have come back from deficits to win games. It is something that makes me very proud to coach this team.
How excited are you and the team to start playing in front of the home fans at Walsh Gym?
Yaeger: They are so excited! We really tried not to talk about it until this week, but they are ready to go. None of our opponents like playing in Walsh except for us. So many people have told us our Gym is so hard to play in. It's a perfect volleyball venue and there's such a great atmosphere. When we pack it and get students there, there are not many places that get louder. Our kid's reactions to the crowd are amazing and they really respond to the support. It's also nice that we are home for a nice period of time to regroup after being on the road so much to start the year.
Why is Seton Hall volleyball fun for fans to watch?
Yaeger: We like to play a fast offense, which means all of our sets are right at the top of the antenna. We play that way so that the other team has trouble closing on blocks, that leave a lot of favorable matchups for our team, and it helps our teams get a lot of kills. We also pride ourselves on our strong defense. You'll see just about everyone all over the floor diving for the ball. That leads to longer rallies and exciting games to watch.
What have you been seeing from other conference schools with BIG EAST play around the corner?
Yaeger: We pay close attention to how the other teams in the BIG EAST are doing. Everyone in the league is doing so well. Louisville is all the way at #12 in the polls and Syracuse had a great weekend, beating Iowa State. All the teams are pulling off great wins. It's really good for the BIG EAST and our conference RPI. We've had a challenging non-conference schedule so the team is not nervous about going into BIG EAST play. It's going to be a tough road this year, but I know our girls are ready for it.
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