Huskers will use two-setter system for now
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
BY TODD HENRICHS / Lincoln Journal Star
A Nebraska volleyball team rich in experience will risk its No. 1 ranking Friday with one, or perhaps even two, players who have yet to start a collegiate match. Head coach John Cook likely won't settle on a lineup until gametime, but on Monday, he did confirm that Nebraska will at least begin the season in a two-setter system featuring two-year starter Dani Busboom and Maggie Griffin, a sophomore transfer from Michigan State.
Cook also indicated that he would keep Christina Houghtelling at outside hitter, and that sophomore Meghan Smith or freshman Amanda Gates would play in place of injured middle blocker Tracy Stalls in the Huskers' opener against No. 4-ranked Hawaii.
"It'll be whoever has a good week of practice," Cook said, adding that another starting spot remains up for grabs between junior Dani Mancuso and freshman Jordan Larson.
"That's going to be a dogfight," Cook added. "Whoever acts like they're ready to play this week will be in there."
The Huskers and Rainbow Wahine square off at 8:30 p.m. in the College Volleyball Showcase at Qwest Center Omaha. Friday's opening match at 6 p.m. pits No. 3 Stanford against No. 5 Penn State.
In deciding whether to go with two setters to begin the season, Cook said it came down to which system allowed NU to get its best players on the court.
The team scrimmaged well enough with Busboom and Griffin sharing controls Saturday to confirm his decision.
"We were smoother than I thought we would be," Cook said. "I was encouraged by that, and I think the players really like this. It gets a lot of people in the match, and when you have a lot of talent, you want to get them in."
The two-setter system allows Nebraska to play all six rotations with three front-row attackers. Among them will be senior All-American Jennifer Saleaumua, who would have switched to libero had Cook decided to go with just one setter.
"She now has a chance to impact the game in so many ways as opposed to just digging balls and serving," Cook said.
Maximizing Houghtelling's potential impact was also the deciding factor in keeping the junior at outside hitter. Houghtelling played two games at middle blocker in Saturday's Red-White Scrimmage, subbing out for a setter every three rotations.
"As much as I would like to put her in the middle, we need her all the way around," Cook said. "She's too good an athlete and player to have sitting out half the time."
That opens the door for one of two homegrown Nebraskans to step into a critical role this weekend. Smith, of Sidney, played in only eight matches as a freshman in 2004, recording one kill and one block. Smith did not play last spring when the Huskers edged Hawaii in a five-game exhibition.
Gates, a May graduate of Columbus, was impressive in recording seven kills while playing for the reserves in Saturday's scrimmage.
Rounding out Nebraska's lineup will be two more All-Americans: senior middle blocker Melissa Elmer and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Pavan. Elmer said last week that the Huskers are confident in their depth of talent.
"We've got a great chance to do some amazing things this year with the team we have and the talent we have," she said. "Every player on this team can contribute."
Cook said he's made no long-term commitment to the 6-2 system and again stressed that a third setter, freshman Rachel Holloway, will compete for playing time once healthy. Holloway, who has been bothered by tendinitis in her left knee since arriving at NU, did not practice Monday.
"We're going to wait and see how it goes," Cook said, "but for now, we feel like this gives us our best chance."
Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7439 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.
Most Commented news