YouTube Interviews!!!
This week we are focusing exclusively on the
Juniors. We've got a lot of 'em. Seven, to be exact. As you'll read below, there is a ton of
talent in this class and that is really exciting when thinking forward to their
2015 senior season. It gives peace of
mind to consider that the team will have this much experience and leadership.
But before we get to the player capsules, I can't help but
put something down on paper about the match against Louisiana-Monroe in Shelton
Gym last Wednesday. Was that a crazy
match or what? I honestly think that the
2nd set of that match was one of the most zany sets I have ever seen. C'mon -
how many times do you see a team that has one setter listed on their
roster? Basically never. Now, how many times have you ever seen a team
with one setter listed on their roster have that girl get hurt and then shift
into a TWO setter offense? That's just
insane! It's more humorous to think
about now that we won the match. At the
time, it was almost surreal.
The set played out with incredible drama because it was
clear that ULM was patching things together and holding on for dear life. With all due respect, there is no way ULM
wins that set if it is played to 35 rather than 25. SFA dug themselves an early hole, getting
down by as many as seven with the score 7-14.
A play or two later, ULM setter Bayleigh Hoffman hurts her ankle and has
to leave the game. From that point
forward in Set 2, the Warhawks went to hitter Hope Pawlik and DS Mary Anselmo
in a 6-2 offense. When Pawlik was
setting, she set the middle approximately 90% of the time. It was incredible - an absolute grasping at
straws. SFA managed to go on a 16-9 run
to tie it at 23. Now I swear, if you had
just given us one or two more rotations, we would have pushed ahead. Instead, an attack error... and then a kill
by "setter" Pawlik, of all people, ended the set and sent us down 0-2
at the half.
That 10 minute break was one of disbelief and
frustration. But, you know, all is well that ends well and boy, did it ever
"end well". After
intermission, the block showed up big time and Kelsi Bartlett gave us a
lift. That, coupled with a switch to a
5-1, allowed SFA to motor on to three straight set wins and a five set overall victory. The ULM game is one that everyone there soon
won't forget. Just a crazy, crazy,
Jekyll and Hyde match.
Let's take a look at our junior class for 2014. For each player, we will briefly talk about
what she brings to the court and then I'll finish the "blurb" with a
personal observation from the fans point of view...
Let's just go in alphabetical order by last name.
Jacque Allen (MB)
What she brings: a
ton of raw athletic talent, Jacque can be an absolute beast at the net. Last year, she was among the conference
leaders in blocks per set and it would be a safe bet to see her on the leader
boards again this year. If there is one
player that is likely to come away with that phenomenal, inside the 10-foot
line, thundering kill...it is Jacque.
You know those plays that send people rocking back in their seat,
covering their mouths, and elbowing the dudes sitting next to them? Yeah, that's Jacque Allen.
My Take: One day
during August, I happened to pop in on a practice where the team was testing
vertical leap. You may have seen these
devices that have spikes that players reach for to touch in order to measure
how high they can jump/reach. After the
entire team had their measurements taken, Jacque asked for another turn. She was sure she could reach that extra inch
even though she hadn't been able to get it when it was her turn. The team all clapped in unison and Jacque
stepped back to get her approach. She
got the extra spike on her final attempt.
That day told me something about her resilience.
Tori Bates (OH)
What she brings: A
little bit of everything and the potential for a whole lot of one thing. Tori has had games where she was an offensive
force and other games where she has steadied the back row. She has the capability to play all the way
around due to her total package skill set.
Injuries have at times necessitated only three rotations at a time. But, when this has come up, Tori has
typically responded well. There is a
saying that once you've proven you have a skill, then you own it. Tori has a track record and because of that,
deservedly will get a shot at establishing herself as an integral part of the
lineup.
My take: Since she
first came on campus, Bates has been one of my favorite players at SFA. I think there is room for additional growth
in terms of her last two years productivity in purple. The team has the flexibility to switch up her
role until they find just the right level of utility to maximize overall team
synchronicity when she is on the floor.
Tori makes it easy to root for her.
She is extremely kind and polite.
We'll need her. My hope is she is as healthy as she possibly can be and
takes a step forward to become the force that she was easily projected to be
after her freshman year.
J'Keisha Evans
(OH)
What she brings:
Athleticism. In droves. Her experience at Panola certainly projected
her to provide part of the team's foundation on the left side. She just needs a bit of time to adjust to the
uptick in the quality of the game at this level. Unfortunately, she'll have to spent some
measure of that time this year learning from the sidelines as a knee injury has
temporarily derailed the JK train. The
timetable for her recovery is still developing.
It will be interesting to see what she can positively add to her game by
watching our system and being forced to only participate mentally, rather than
physically be on the floor. Here is
hoping for a speedy recovery and time well spent during rehab.
My take: Before
she was injured, my thought was that she would be really good as a senior. To me, it looked like she needed to take 2014
to adjust and then next year, she'd probably cut loose. Now, two things: First, that could still very much
happen. In fact, I'd almost bet on
it. Secondly, and a bit retrospectively
at this point, she very much had playing time in her future THIS YEAR if not
for the knee injury. So, SFA has
themselves a very useful player here.
Don't fall asleep on her eventual role.
She could be a nice surprise on the outside after healing and a little
more experience kick in.
Keeley Kainer (OH)
What she brings: We
are about to find out. Until now, Kainer
has been strictly a role player at best.
She's had very little playing time during her first two years in purple. Sparks?
Yes. You'll hear me discuss last
years' match at HBU in her interview.
That match showed you what is in there.
Long time regarded as a player that could catch fire on the challenge
team in practice, Keeley is now poised to carve a different path. With Freshmen outside hitters challenging for
playing time, Kainer has needed the added resolve and confidence she has
displayed so far during 2014. She'll
also need that "overcomers" spirit the first time a dry patch
hits. Overall, could this be a
breakout? That sure would be wonderful
to see, huh?
My take: She's the
#1 player I've enjoyed watching during early season scrimmages and tournament
matches. After 11 kills against just one
error vs. ULM, if she has a big tournament at LaTech, I am practically going to
be BEGGING Sports Information Assistant Director Kyle Rogers to submit her name
for Player of the Week. Now, I may be
getting ahead of myself, but Kainer is my favorite story so far early in
2014. It's more important how you finish
that how you start. If Kainer keeps this
up, nobody is going to remember that she wore her warm-up jacket for most of
her first two years.
Madison Martin
(BCOH)
What she brings:
See that "BC" in parenthesis?
That stands for "ball control" outside hitter. Man, I love me some ball control on the back
row. Martin is an absolute gem to watch
on defense. Just so solid. I know there will always be pros and cons of
6-2 vs. 5-1 offenses , but you need six
rotation outsides if you are going to sub in those setters. With the substitutions a little more relaxed
in the 5-1, players like Martin have a
greater chance to shine. She has the
moxie to make a valiant effort if asked to play on the front, but really.. her
best role is exactly what she is doing now.. three rotations of nothing gets
past her on the back row. Every team
needs a player like this.
My take: I like
her as back row, three rotation option numero uno. Passing is not easy and Martin is one of the
best we have at it. I think she provides
stabilization. I like it when she's in
there. All our middle blockers ought to
love her back there covering their butts.
Back row defense is always going to get my complements. Ask Les Jackson who sits next to me this year
at the media table in Shelton: I spend
half my time off mic reacting to all of Olson and Martin's sick digs. Being a former middle, Les probably gets
tired of it. I don't care. #BackRow, baby. #BackRow. Yeah, I kind of want her
autograph.
Jordan McArdle
(OH)
What she brings:
Something we really need - Depth for the outside. Jordan is one of those players than you just
know will get playing time in spurts.
She's started here and there, and come in off the bench at other times. When a team doesn't have a 20 kill-per-night
left side hitter, you need a set of Kainer's and McArdle's to go along with the
freshmen like Bartlett and McIntyre.
Players like McArdle steady the ship when freshman predictably get lost
or your go-to's like Ivy, Allen and Bates are on the struggle bus. She can hit.
It's one thing to have depth by numbers.
It's another thing to have depth by quality. McArdle is more the latter.
My take: I think
Jordan's got a pretty big "fun side" to her. I don't mean that in any other way than
positive. When you watch her play, warm
up or while on the sidelines, she looks like she genuinely is having fun. I'll bet she's a prankster. Hey, her favorite animal is a giraffe. Just thought I'd pass that along since it was
in last night's script and I didn't get to it.
Gotta do an interview with her soon, right? Maybe I've got her totally
pegged wrong, but she looks like a barrel-of-monkeys fun, joking personality. Oh, and she's got a whip of a fast arm
swing. What's not to like?
OJ Olson (L)
What she brings:
Can I make this last entry short and to the point? OJ Olson was in the mix for libero of the
year last year. She will be this
year. She will be next year. You got any more questions? Good, then sit down, shut up and enjoy the
dig show.
My take: Have you
noticed that the 2014 team poster features the head coach, seniors and OJ
Olson? Have you noticed whose picture is
on the "Game Day" poster that sits outside of Shelton before matches? Have you noticed who is one of only three
players in the Southland averaging over 5 digs per set? Have you noticed who has rattled off five
straight matches with 20+ digs? If you
answered "no" to any of those questions... what kind of fan are you,anyway? Figgers, Hanlan, Olson. #LiberoUniversity.