YSU volleyball off to best start since 1995
YSU’s Val Jeffery, right, bumps the ball over the net while Kent’s Bridget Wilhelm goes for the block during a match Tuesday at the MACC Center in Kent.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
Through its first 12 games, one of the few things the Youngstown State volleyball team has lost is the underdog label.
“I think it’s a great role to have, but I think people in the conference now are probably going to be a little more wary of us coming into conference play,” YSU coach Mark Hardaway said. “I think they picked us [to finish] seventh [in the Horizon League] because we graduated seven seniors.
“And it’s hard to blame them for that. But I think they’re probably taking a little notice now.”
After graduating the Horizon League’s defensive player of the year (Jenna Cavanaugh) and two other three-year starters, this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Penguins.
But thanks to players such as senior Lexi Egler (a four-year starter at outside hitter who is closing in on 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs), senior Shannon Watson (who leads the league in blocks) and sophomore Jeffery (a High Point transfer who has made three all-tournament teams this season), the Penguins (9-3) are off to their best start since 1995.
That stretch includes a 25-20, 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 18-16 win over Virginia — YSU’s first over an ACC school since 2001.
“It was awesome,” said Jeffery, who is averaging the most assists of any YSU setter since 2007 with 10.51 per match. “We knew they were a very big, very fast, physical team.
“But I felt like one of the things you could describe our team as is being relentless. We know that there’s good competition across the net, we just put our foot on the gas pedal and just go.
“And we really have good team chemistry. I love that about our team right now.”
Added Hardaway, “I think it’s a great win and in my opinion, probably the best win I’ve had since we’ve been here the last three years.”
Hardaway is 40-31 in his two-plus seasons with the Penguins, including a 16-15 mark last year and a 15-14 record in 2012.
YSU did not have a winning record in the 12 seasons before Hardaway’s arrival and was 7-51 in the two years before he was hired.
YSU’s three losses came at Duquesne (a five-setter), at Big Ten-member Northwestern and at Kent State (a five-setter on Tuesday night).
The Penguins are 3-0 against Missouri Valley Conference teams this year, beating Evansville (3-0), Indiana State (3-1) and Loyola (3-1). The other wins came against Belmont, Kennesaw State, UMass, Robert Morris and St. Francis (Pa.).
“I don’t know if I want to say I’m surprised [by YSU’s record],” Hardaway said. “One of the great things about the team this year is they’re very calm. They don’t panic.”
The Penguins head to Ann Arbor, Mich., this weekend for their last non-conference stretch. They’ll play Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Kansas State at the Michigan Invitational before opening Horizon League play at home on Sept. 26 against Oakland.
“We do realize that we have been off to a fast start but that hasn’t gone to our heads,” said Jeffery, a Columbus native who transferred because she wanted to major in nursing. “Because we know who is ahead of us right now.
“We have very big competition ahead of us and we’re just going to go out and play our best. That’s all you can ask for.”