Nov. 9, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
Like the Illinois State football team this weekend, the Redbird volleyball team takes on a winless Indiana State team in a conference match. Like head football coach Denver Johnson, head volleyball coach Sharon Dingman will have her team prepared to take everything the Sycamores can give in Friday's 6 p.m. match in Terre Haute.
Both coaches commented on how hard the respective Sycamore teams have been playing despite not getting a winning result. Dingman had only to look at Indiana State's effort in a loss at Northern Iowa last weekend--just a day before her team fell to the Panthers in Cedar Falls. The Sycamores lost two games by four points and the third game by just two.
"Indiana State scored 26 and 28 points against Northern Iowa," said Dingman of the 0-26, 0-15 in the Valley Indiana State group, "so you can tell they are playing loose and having fun. They are swinging hard at balls and competing."
Dingman also knows history. Illinois State, 16-9, 12-3 in the Valley, has never lost to the Sycamores in Normal, but Indiana State has beaten the `Birds three times in the last four years in cozy ISU Arena, the Sycamores' on-campus gym. Two of those unsuccessful trips have come with current seniors Ashley Grubb, Laura Doornbos and Emily Kabbes on board.
"Our seniors know we haven't won there (often)," said Dingman. "So there is other motivation besides holding on to second place in the Valley."
Dingman, whose team returns home for its final two matches of the 2005 regular season to meet Missouri State (Nov. 18) and No. 23 Wichita State (Nov. 19) in Redbird Arena, sees some advantage to the schedule which gives the `Birds a chance to take both Saturday and Sunday off--although she does not expect to get sophomore middle blocker Kari Staehlin back for the following week's matches.
"The time off will help us with some nagging injuries other players have," said Dingman, who lost No. 1 hitter Staehlin to mononucleosis two weeks ago. "It's a good chance for our players to relax, go to the (IHSA) state tournament (in Redbird Arena) and enjoy volleyball as fans."
Dingman acknowledged that Staehlin's 3.83 kills and .350 hitting percentage can't be replicated, but that her team was looking to improve in other ways, particularly on defense.
"There are other things we have to get better at," said Dingman. "We've been digging the ball very well, but we need to block more balls."
Team leadership is one area making Dingman proud. Grubb, despite moving from right-side hitter to libero this season, has stepped up and challenged her teammates in difficult times, like after ISU's 30-13 loss in game one at Bradley.
"Ashley grabs this team and tells them what we're going to do," said Dingman, noting that ISU came back to win games two, three and four in Peoria. "I'm really proud of our senior leadership because she has stepped up in those situations. The other two have also led with their performance on the court. This team has really good senior leadership."
