After a 3-1 start at the Wyoming Invite with a new offense in the middle and strong defense in the back row, Idaho volleyball will face stronger competition in the Northern Arizona Fiesta Classic this weekend.
Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan described the team’s fundamentals.
“Passing, serving and passing and being able to keep our errors fairly low,” she said. “This is going to be one of the toughest tournaments that we face three good teams. They all had a good weekend this last weekend, they’re all picked to finish high in their conferences if not win their conference.”
Cal State Northridge, Northern Arizona and San Diego State are a combined 8-1 in 2013 and each finished in the top 100 in RPI in 2012. It’s hard to know how the Vandals will react to stronger competition but the 3-1 start to the season showed the strength of Idaho’s players.
“I think we’re all doing an amazing job, especially me and Jenna in the back row keeping all the balls in,” freshman defensive specialist Terra Varney said. “We’re just really relaxed and just moving to the ball, we’re a really good combo together and it’s fun playing with everybody.”
Varney and fellow defensive specialist sophomore Jenna Ellis have controlled the back row with 12 digs and two assists from Varney against Drake and a team high 13 from Ellis. Ellis doubled her digs against Stetson. Varney was consistent again with 12 to start her collegiate career.
“I’m just getting to every ball that I can and helping out my team with getting good passes and digs and just keeping every ball up,” Varney said. “It’s very important because we need to keep the ball up in order to center the ball to our hitter so they can terminate the ball.”
Idaho seems strong on the offensive end. The Vandals’ all-time career hit percentage leader going into her third year, middle-blocker Alyssa Schultz, is coming off hitting .437 in the tournament. Idaho’s brand-new setter, sophomore Meredith Coba, and her 175 total assists so far this season have secured her place as the offensive leader.
Meanwhile, Idaho’s outside hitters, sophomore Katelyn Peterson, senior Ashley Christman and junior Jessica Hastriter, have all contributed kills for a balanced offense.
“I think we’ve started off pretty strong, we’re still working on the faster set, just communicating between the hitter and the setter with that which can always be improved,” Peterson said. “I think we’re all ready to face some harder competition and show them how hard we’ve been working and show everyone what kind of team we want to be which is hard-working, determined and finishing everything strong.”
The young team will soon face its ultimate test of the season thus far and Buchanan reemphasized the factor of consistency.
“I think the biggest thing is just playing consistent and making sure that our team has that mentality that if we make an error that the next one we’re going to turn it around,” Buchanan said.
Coach Buchanan is looking for the 200th win of her career as Vandal coach when the team travels to Flagstaff to begin the Northern Arizona Fiesta Classic Friday against Cal-State Northridge. Saturday morning the team plays Northern Arizona and San Diego State later that afternoon.
Aaron Wolfe can be reached at [email protected]