March 28, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Ashley Grubb isn't anxious to give up her career as an outside hitter, but her work as an emergency setter this spring has pleased Illinois State volleyball coach Sharon Dingman and helped the Redbirds beat the Peoria Cougars 25-30, 30-19, 30-21, 30-26 in a volleyball scrimmage Monday at the North Gym.
Grubb, a three-year starter as a right-side hitter for Illinois State, has been pressed into service as a setter this spring because seniors aren't eligible for spring ball (exempting Kelly Rikli) and the Redbird attack will be run by in-coming freshman Erin Lindsey this fall.
Still, Dingman was impressed.
"Grubb did an exceptional job of making plays and getting the ball to our hitters," said Dingman. "I'm really pleased with the way she is playing."
Those hitters include returning starters Laura Doornbos, Savannah Knowles, Emily Kabbes and Kari Staehlin. Dingman moved her lineups around to give her hitters different looks from different spots on the floor.
"We responded to that well," said Dingman, "but the Cougars also showed us what we have to do to get better on defense. Our passing was a little better than I thought it would be, but our back-row defense needs work."
The Peoria Cougars are a team of players from the nationally-recognized Illinois Central College team.
"Peoria played a lot better defensively than we did," said Dingman, "but, in the end, we were able to control the net with our blocking and limit their offense with our serving."
The scrimmage drew a crowd in excess of 150 and was played prior to a Monday night speech by Normal native and USA Olympian Ogonna Nnamani. The former University High School star and Stanford All-American spoke Monday night in the Bone Student Center as part of Women in History Month at Illinois State.
