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Volleyball 2014 Season Preview
8/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Seton Hall women's volleyball team returns all six of its starters from a team that finished above .500 for a third consecutive year in 2013. The Pirates won four of its last five matches, including a thrilling victory over nationally-ranked Creighton, to close the season and will look to keep rolling as the 2014 campaign begins.
Although Pirates fans will recognize most of the regulars in the Seton Hall lineup, they won't see two-time BIG EAST Libero of the Year Alyssa Warren, who graduated with honors last spring. The Pirates will look to a new libero, Tessa Fournier (Redondo Beach, Calif.), to take over for the defensive legend. Fournier saw action in all 125 sets last year on the Pirates' back line and has worked hard in preparation of her promotion.
"Tessa has known for a very long time that she has big shoes to fill," said head coach Allison Yaeger. "She has worked really hard over the summer preparing herself for this opportunity. She one of the hardest working kids on this team, by far. It's easy to tell which girls work hard over the summer, and which don't. She's worked hard in the weight room and has gotten a lot of extra reps."
"She had to be more of a leader vocally," Yaeger continued. "She really has improved in that aspect. Just in this preseason alone, we have seen a dramatic improvement in that area."
Taking over in Fournier's 2013 role as a back line replacement and defensive specialist will be Seton Hall's lone newcomer, Sarah Kenneweg (Poolesville, Md.). Kenneweg joins the Pirates after starring at Poolesville High School for four years, becoming their all-time digs leader along the way.
"Sarah will play that middle back position, and the ball control that she brings to our team makes me very encouraged," Yaeger said. "She's small in stature, but that really helps her game because her center of gravity is closer to floor than everyone else's. She gets balls up that we think are long gone."
Despite the loss of Warren, Fournier's promotion, and the addition of Kenneweg, is expected to keep the Pirates at the top of the BIG EAST in terms of defense. Sara Connell (Dousman, Wis.) returns for her junior year and will also bolster the back line. The 2013 team finished second in the conference with 16.79 digs per set.
"I would be shocked if we weren't one of the top defensive teams again this year," Yaeger said. "If you look at our back row, Tessa, Sarah, Stacey (Manthorpe), Shelbey (Manthorpe), Sara Connell... that's an unbelievable defensive lineup we have. In terms of regular ball control and serve-receive, I have immense confidence and high expectations for that group."
Assisting the defense on the front line are a pair of the BIG EAST's top blockers. Ashani Rubin (Philadelphia, Pa.) returns for her senior year. After two seasons in a backup role, Rubin burst onto the scene as a regular starter in 2013 and finished the season ranked fourth in the BIG EAST with 1.29 blocks per set. In addition to her emerging offense, Amanda Hansen (Pewaukee, Wis.) blocked 1.03 attacks per set, which was ninth-best in the conference.
"This is the best Ashani has ever played," Yaeger said. "We worked hard with her in her ball placement and connecting with Shelbey. She's really developed as a smart player over the last couple of years. Defensively, we're expecting her to continue to put up big-time blocks. When it comes to Ashani and Amanda, we really look for the offense from Amanda and the defense from Ashani."
The Pirates offense will primary come from a trio of hitters, all of which have improved and are primed for breakout performances in 2014. Stacey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) led the Pirates with 2.67 kills per set in 2013, while playing most of the season with an injured shoulder. The senior is healthy again and will look to climb the Pirate record books in both attacks and kills in 2014. Junior Molly Grammer's (Center Valley, Pa.) 2013 season got off to a delayed start due to injury and she wasn't ever fully able to regain her 2012 form. This year however, Grammer has shown a renewed focus and has played some of her best volleyball this preseason. Sophomore Dani Schroeder (Chicago, Ill.) was one of the top freshmen in the BIG EAST in 2013. She tallied 170 kills, fourth-most on the team, and appeared in 95 sets over 28 matches. Schroeder's off-season work has seen her game mature significantly.
"Two years ago, our season was highly successful until we got hit with several key injuries," Yaeger said. "We were successful because we could set whoever we wanted and whenever we wanted, and there wasn't just one standout person with the kills... everyone contributed. That's what we're really looking forward to this year. Molly looks unbelievable... she has worked really hard over the summer. Molly is really killing the ball right now and so is Stacey. Stacey is in great shape and is playing well. Collectively, everyone is in the best physical shape I've ever seen them in. I'm really encouraged."
Seton Hall will also look to get an offensive boost when fifth-year senior Simona Sekulova (Auckland, New Zealand) is on the court. Sekulova played in only 38 sets in 2013 because of an ailing knee. She too, enters the year healthy and will look to return to her 2012 form when she tallied 192 kills.
In the middle of it all, three-time All-BIG EAST performer Shelbey Manthorpe (Merion Station, Pa.) will return as the team's setter for her final season in South Orange. Manthorpe was recently named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team for a third consecutive year and enters 2014 already ranking among Seton Hall's all-time leaders in both digs and assists. Talented in all aspects of the game, Manthorpe has led the nation in each of the last two season in triple-doubles. Last season, she led the Pirates in assists and digs per set, ranked third in blocks per set and fourth in kills per set.
"Shelbey is Shelbey," Yaeger said. "She's just everywhere. There's a reason why she gets all of the stats and accolades that she gets. She's a bigtime leader both on the floor and off. The offense goes through her and I expect her to have another big season and cap her Seton Hall career in style.
In addition to a vastly recognizable team returning, another helpful component to what the Pirates hope are good fortunes in 2014 will be their schedule. As opposed to just 10 home matches at Walsh Gym in 2013, the Seton Hall will host 17 matches and two tournaments this year.
"We are crazy excited to be home so much this season," Yaeger said. "I really pushed to host two tournaments this year, because being on the road so much early in the season really wears you down. We can't wait to play in front of our home crowd."
Entering 2014, the Pirates were picked to finished sixth in the 10-team conference, behind Creighton, Marquette, Xavier, Butler and St. John's. Although surprised with a lower-than-expected ranking, Yaeger is happy to use it as motivation.
"We were disappointed, but it's definitely a motivation tool for the team," Yaeger said. "We know that we're not going to finish that low. Our own expectations are significantly higher. It's ok to play with a little bit of a chip on our shoulders and prove the rankings wrong match-by-match."
