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So close a year ago, Scots spikers
seek league title, trip to nationals
Release Date: September 1, 2006
MONMOUTH, Ill. — How solid is the
volleyball program put together by Monmouth coach Kari Shimmin?
As she enters her ninth season, Shimmin is coming off her team’s
highest Midwest Conference tournament finish and, if she so chose,
she could have added no new players and still formed an outstanding
squad.
Only outside hitter Karissa Murray graduated from last year’s 22-13
squad, which went 7-2 in the Midwest Conference regular season. The
Scots then reached the MWC title match and took a 2-1 lead before
falling in five sets to St. Norbert. The heartbreaking loss
prevented the Scots from winning their first volleyball crown since
1982.
“We’re setting our team goals tonight, but I know what they’re going
to say,” Shimmin said Thursday. “They want to win conference. We’ve
got lots of experience, the players work well together and they’ve
been very focused from the first day of practice.”
Murray, a two-time All-MWC pick, took a lot of statistics with her
when she graduated, but virtually all the rest of Monmouth’s
impressive numbers are back. That includes the 39 aces, 116 digs and
team-highs of 412 kills and 95 blocks accumulated by another
two-time all-conference performer, junior Kendra James.
James’ high school classmate, Colleen Wilkin, can also fill out a
stat sheet, and the setter earned All-MWC honors by equaling the
Scots’ single-season assist record (1,331) and adding 111 kills, 49
aces and 195 digs.
“They’re picking up where they left off,” said Shimmin of the
longtime teammates and pair of captains. “There’s just a chemistry
there between the two of them.”
Sophomore libero Crystal Myers led the team in digs (494) and, along
with James and Wilkin, was part of a trio that played in every game
of every match for the Scots last fall.
“She’s come in a lot stronger this season,” said Shimmin of Myers,
“and she has another year of experience under her belt.”
Four other returners played in at least 95 of the team’s 126 games,
and they include senior Kari Jefferson (140 kills, 55 blocks), who
is the team’s other captain; juniors Jessica Travis (283 kills, 311
digs) and Ashley Yeast (161 kills); and sophomore defensive
specialist Jessica Serritella (203 digs).
“(Travis) has a cannon for an arm,” said Shimmin. “She hits the ball
very well and hits around the block well. Even though she’s had knee
surgery, Ashley’s in better shape than she was a year ago.”
Although Shimmin didn’t need to recruit a single player, she wasn’t
idle during the offseason, adding talented players like defensive
specialist Ashley Bergren (Boylan), Alexis Keller (Waterloo) and
Maggie Dort (Richmond-Burton), who have all made the varsity roster.
The rest of the 16-player squad includes junior Megan Boesche and
sophomores Amanda Boonstra, Anna Damos, Tanesha Hughes, Rachel
Leffelman and Samantha Robinson .
“What we’ll miss most on the court from Karissa is her ball
control,” said Shimmin. “That’s a big role to fill, but we think
Anna Damos and Amanda Boonstra are up for the challenge.”
She continued, “With everybody else, they’re really playing the same
roles, but they’ll be building on what they did last year.” And,
Shimmin could have added, they should be able to fill those roles at
an even higher level.
Shimmin also has a solid group of 12 junior varsity players,
including 11 freshmen. One of them is Jenna Thompson
(Monmouth-Roseville), and she’ll join forces with three other
Olympic Conference stars – April Campen (Farmington), Gloria Lehr
(Knoxville) and Rebecca Yarbrough (Orion).
The Scots’ spikers opens their season Saturday with the Monmouth
Invitational. They will play matches against Hannibal-LaGrange at 9
a.m. and Principia at 1 p.m. and, hopefully, advance to the
championship match, which is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Conference play begins Sept. 23 when the Scots participate in one of
two crossover events against the MWC North’s Division. If the Scots
advance to the Nov. 3-4 MWC tourney and win it, they will earn the
program’s first-ever national playoff berth. St. Norbert has been
tabbed as the preseason favorite by the league’s coaches, with
Monmouth in the third spot behind Lake Forest.
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