At the beginning of the season, the Vandal volleyball team was in a rebuilding stage with questions as to who was going to lead the offense. Nobody is asking that question anymore.
Sophomore setter Meredith Coba took the starting job going into the season after sitting out as a redshirt in 2011 and playing limitedly behind more experienced players last year.
Coba owned every moment of the opening fall tournament in Wyoming the minute she stepped on the court. Along with her teammate, Idaho middle blocker Alyssa Schultz, Coba was recognized with all tournament-team honors for her 175 assists, averaging 10.94 per set, 14 kills and 13 blocks in a 3-1 road finish.
Coba led her team to victories on the road again two weeks later at the Bronco Volleyball Classic with wins over Boise State, Sacramento State and North Texas. Coba earned all-tournament honors along with middle blocker Schultz and outside hitter Katelyn Peterson. Coba also earned Tournament MVP for setting a balanced offense that hit .309, averaging 11.21 assists per set and punishing North Texas with a career high 67 assists to clinch the tournament. Peterson and junior outside hitter Jessica Hastriter posted career high kills thanks to Cob
Abi Stomberg | Argonaut
Sophomore Meredith Coba sets the ball Thursday during Idaho’s match against Utah Valley in Memorial Gym. The Vandals lost 3-2 in their WAC home opener.
a’s distribution.
Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan said the Bronco Classic was the best weekend of Peterson’s career. As for Coba, Buchanan expects that this is only the beginning.
“I think she’s the type of kid that’s just going to keep gaining more and more confidence in her ability not only to see what the offense is doing, but in running that offense and being able to distribute and trying to keep things fairly balanced,” Buchanan said.
Coba has two more years of eligibility after this season. Her dominance has shown through her personal accomplishments and through the accomplishments of her teammates. The question comes down to whether or not Coba can continue to show leadership this year despite her youth.
“I think from a leadership standpoint she’s going to keep getting better and better as far as being able to communicate with the team a little bit more and feel like she has that stance to say something when needed,” Buchanan said. “She’s a young player still and I think that she’s one to keep gaining with every single practice, every match, she just needs the experience right now.”
Coba continues to stress a team effort despite her budding personal potential because it takes a team to win.
“I don’t think a lot has changed since the beginning of the season,” Coba said. “We’ve had the whole entire team leading up to this point. Being out on the court it feels natural and we’re all working together.”
Coba credits a lot of her success to some of the experienced returning offensive players that were just a match short last year from making school history at the WAC Championship.
“The cool thing about this year is all our hitters are really reliable and that’s what makes it fun to be a setter,” she said. “That’s how I’ve had all my success — everyone can put the ball down. There are some great outsides, great right sides makes it easy for me.”
The Vandals are on their home stretch this week facing off against Cal-State Bakersfield at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Gym before a Monday match against Grand Canyon.
“We haven’t been here yet and its always nice to play in front of our home fans and play in our gym, always a test to travel the first part of the season, get that under our belt but it will be nice to go home and also go to class,” Coba said.
A week at home in the gym where the setter practices in with her teammates all week is the environment that she has become accustomed to, but that has not made Coba lose sight of a feeling that’s not so familiar.
“As a season, we’re looking to win that WAC championship,” Coba said. “We have a lot to get done an d we’re looking forward to it.”
Aaron Wolfe can be reached at [email protected]