Less than a week ahead of the Illinois State volleyball teams 2004 opener at No. 19 Illinois, the Redbirds still have heated challenges for a pair of positions in the regular rotation. The starting libero and right-side hitting spots are up for grabs and head coach Sharon Dingman likes it that way.
We have good depth and were solid at all positions, said Dingman, who has shown little hesitation to change her lineup in mid-season, or even mid-match, in previous years. The competition is great because all the contenders for those jobs are good its just going to take better-than-good to win the job.
The right-side post is a battle between sophomore Lindley McDavid and freshman Kristin Dziubla. McDavid missed all of the 2003 season because of major knee surgery, but was an effective blocker playing the middle as a freshman. Dziubla is a freshman from Elgin who has been a training camp surprise.
Lindley is clearly the best blocker on our team, said Dingman. Kristin gives us some great offensive options at that position. So it might boil down to what the team needs in a given situation.
The libero battle features three experienced defenders and likely will result in at least one of them becoming a regular back-row specialist. Senior Paige White, junior Ashley Grubb and sophomore Jessie Janik all figure to help improve the Redbird defense. At the end of a day-to-day battle that has lasted much of preseason camp, just one will start at libero.
Thats a daily challenge, said Dingman. Defensively, we are going to be better (than 2003). We will dig a lot of balls. Im still concerned about serve receive. Serve receive will have a lot to do with (who plays and where). Weve been tracking that on a daily basis.
Setter Kelly Rikli, left-side hitters Laura Doornbos and Savannah Knowles and middle blockers Emily Kabbes and Kari Staehlin all figure to start against the Illini. All but Staehlin, a freshman from Tinley Park, held the same starting jobs last year.
We have a strong nucleus, said Dingman, whose Redbirds are looking for a faster start than last years 5-10 on the way to a better record than the 2003 final of 19-14.
Dingman appreciates the competition shown by 10 letterwinners and four freshmen since camp began.
We like the flexibility we have with this team, said Dingman. I think its always been a case of finding the right seven to go against the opponent on a given day.
After the Illinois match, the Redbirds start the home season with a 7 p.m. Friday meeting with Denver at Redbird Arena. That first-round match of the 2004 Barker GMC Classic follows a 5 p.m. match between Iowa and Wright State. All four teams play twice on Saturday, with the Birds meeting Wright State at noon and Iowa at 7 p.m.
