Marshall University Athletics
Herd Volleyball Getting Set for Season
8/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Herd Volleyball Getting Set for Season
8/17/2004
Freshman Stephanie Cahill in practice action Tuesday in the Cam Henderson Center. Photo by MATT RILEY |
After a week at training camp, the Marshall volleyball team has shown head coach Mitch Jacobs and his staff plenty of potential and work ethic as it gears up for the 2004 season that is just two weeks away.
The Herd opens up with Radford at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 1, in the Cam Henderson and while there is still work to be done, Jacobs is confident the group of eight freshmen and four returnees will come together and be ready to be a force in their final season of Mid-American Conference play.
?There?s been a lot of wide eyes and a lot of heads nodding so far and that?s good to see because they all want to learn and work hard to get the job done,? Jacobs said. ?Everybody?s really coachable and you can tell they want to be a part of a team that is going to be successful. I have not seen one selfish thing from this team and that?s why I know we can get the job done.?
The team is headed by three juniors with no seniors on the roster: Katie Stein (Sussex, Wisc.), Amber Sims (Ney, Ohio) and Nickie Sanlin (Fairview Heights, Ill.) return from last year?s starting lineup and sophomore Christin Bimberg (Schwerin, Germany) returns from a solid freshman season to help anchor the Marshall lineup as the freshman class gets accustomed to the Herd style of play.
The Herd?s newcomers are Maggie Arias (Indianapolis, Ind.); Stephanie Cahill (Louisville, Ky.); Chelsea Lazar (Palm Harbor, Fla.); Uche Ndubisi (Indianapolis, Ind.); Carlee Maddox (St. Joseph, Mich.); Jalicia Ross (Bank Village, Trinidad); Kelly-Anne Billingy (Trincity, Trinidad) and Jan Bierce (Wheeling, W.Va). Jacobs said he likes the explosiveness the 2004 group brings to the table for Thundering Herd.
?This group has more offensive power than we?ve ever had,? he said. ?It?s the most prolific offense I?ve been associated with and we can also play some really good defense. We need to get confidence in our passing and the players show they?re capable of that. If we can ball control, I feel very confident because this group is working very hard and wants to win.?
As practice continues, Jacobs and the Herd will work on consistency and finding the right team chemistry that goes with any new squad.
?With the group we have, I know some nights we?re going to be unstoppable and other nights we?ll have to work to try and find our game,? Jacobs said. ?That?s what we?re going to work on and see if we can come together better than any other team in the league.?
Marshall was picked to finish third in the MAC East in the preseason coaches poll. The Herd finished 2003 with a 21-16 record after advancing to the finals of the conference tournament.
