Penn State - A whole new ball game

[swingaway]

Collegian online - www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2006/12/12-13-06tdc/12-13-06dsports-02.asp

A whole new ball game
The Lions lost four seniors that had played in a combined 116 matches en route to the Final Four.


By Dean Myers
Collegian Staff Writer
For the Penn State men's volleyball team, the 2006 season saw the Nittany Lions go 21-9 and make a run through the Final Four before eventually falling to UCLA in the national championship.

But that was last year. It's of no use now. This season is a new beginning.

That season saw departed seniors Dan O'Dell, Matt Proper, Kevin Wentzel and Nate Meerstein grow and lead together, ultimately excelling to the point where they carried the Lions most of the way.

But that was last year. They're gone now, and leaving with them are the 116 matches they combined to play last season. This year, the team starts anew.

"Any time you replace four starters, especially guys that had the leadership ability of Dan O'Dell, Matt Proper and Nate Meerstein, it's gonna be hard to replace right away," Penn State assistant coach Craig Dyer said. "It's going to be tough to repeat what we had last year with those four seniors. You don't replace guys like that."

Even with four of six (seven if you include the libero) starters having graduated, Dyer doesn't view the next four months as a rebuilding project, rather the beginning of a change in Penn State's style of play.

"Last year's team was physically bigger than this year's team. This year's team is going to be quicker and we're going to use our quickness to score points," Dyer said. "Our offense and the speed that we can run is going to be different. The setter that we have this year is about six or seven inches shorter than the setter we had last year. You kinda evolve your team to what the strengths are."



PHOTO: Collegian file photo
Matt Anderson (14) blocks the ball in the second game during last year's Final Four match against UC- Irvine.

Having already completed its fall training period, Dyer was quick to point out how much potential the team has after seeing how much progress it has made to this point.

The team will play two road matches to start the season, the first of which a January 12 match against Ball State, before heading to Hawaii for the Outrigger Invitational. There, the new look Lions will get to play potential national title contenders Brigham Young and Hawaii.

"You are going to take your lumps a little bit with some of those west-coast teams," Dyer said. "Our record could be a little sluggish in the beginning. I think that we are going to be playing pretty well, but we are going to be playing better at the end of the year. January is going to be a pretty tough month for us in terms of teams."

Because Penn State played for a national championship last season, it figures to face high expectations.

But that was last year. This year is a new beginning.

"I'm pretty confident that we will win the EIVA and we will get back to the Final Four, but its going to be tough to repeat what we had last year with those four seniors," Dyer said.

The fact that they're still favored to win the EIVA basically prohibits these Lions from being labeled a rebuilding project, but that doesn't mean this young team comes without flaw.

In the end -- or the beginning in this case -- this season will be a reclamation project for the Lions.

A project in which this new batch of Penn State players will look to pick up where the last bunch left off.

[roy]

A nice article. Definitely a fair article. They had a good run last year but ran into a hot UCLA team. They lost some key players, but they are in that place where they will compete for the national title simply because they will likely make it to the Final Four through the EIVA. From a national standpoint, they will be hard pressed to break into the top 5 nationally, as the MPSF teams are looking really strong on paper from who they return.

[baywatcher]

Saw penn State early last year at the Outrigger in Hawaii; were the worst team there. Obviously made great improvements to get through Irvine to the final match. Look for them to do the same this year, once they get replacements figured out.

[sexy]

penn state had some hotties before!!

[ncaadropout]

Without Proper Penn State is in trouble. I played in the EIVAlast year and it's true that they will probably make it to the final four just because lack of competition. But if they hope to go beyond that then they better schedule some tough non-conference matches.