Sarah Matesich
Looks can be deceiving. The 2006 edition of the Wittenberg volleyball team does not have a senior on the roster, yet the Tigers return a seasoned collection of talent, to be combined this year with a potentially dynamic 10-person recruiting class.
The goal, as it is every year on the HPER Center court, isn't merely to compete. It is to win championships, and the 2006 squad appears to have all the elements in place for another run deep into the NCAA Division III Tournament.
"Ball control wins championships, and our core passers all return with a great deal of experience," said fourth-year Head Coach Paco Labrador, who has a 97-15 overall record at Wittenberg.
Coming off the program's best-ever finish in the NCAA Division III Tournament, including an appearance in the national semifinals, things start in 2006 much as they ended in 2005. Standout junior outside hitters Emily Bell (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) and Jan Kehres (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance) are dynamic offensive players, complemented by several other returning letterwinners, among them sophomore outside hitter Jackie Williams (Rocky River, Ohio/Magnificat), junior outside hitter Lindsey Penrod (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) and junior middle hitterCaitlin Augustus (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee). Bell led the team in kills a year ago, while Kehres and Williams were also among the team leaders. Williams topped the squad in kills per game and went on to earn North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year honors.
Bell and Kehres also are key contributors to the stingy Tiger defense as both ranked among the team leaders in digs in 2005. They are joined in that area by sophomore libero Laura Fender (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula), who compiled more than 700 digs in her rookie campaign of 2005.
The Tigers also return their starting setter in junior Sarah Matesich (Granville, Ohio/Newark Catholic), a fiery competitor who posted more than 1,000 assists in her first year in the lineup.
The Tigers do have some holes in the lineup, left by the graduation of NCAA Division III All-Tournament team honoree Emily Dixon, a middle hitter who set the school record for career blocks, and outside hitter Linda Young, an NCAC All-Tournament team selection who saved her best for last in a tremendous conference and national tournament run. Among the top contenders for those key spots are returning letterwinners Brittany Steinbrecher (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes),Jessica Kimble (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont) and Kathleen Graham (Bowling Green, Ohio/Toledo St. Ursula), a trio of sophomores who saw limited time a year ago.
Also pushing for playing time will be the members of Wittenberg's incoming recruiting class, which includes players from four states, including West Virginia, Ohio, California and Florida. All earned postseason accolades following successful high school seasons.