MILWAUKEE -- The Alverno College women's volleyball team has a multitude of challenges to overcome for the 2008 season as it adjusts to a brand-new coaching staff and a small roster nearly full of first-time college players. However, first-year head coach Crystal McClure is optimistic of the Inferno's chances to begin the season with a clean slate and improve on last year's 2-27 record by continuously maintaining a positive attitude.
"We have a lot of team unity and we're a very positive team," McClure said. "The camaraderie on the team is very authentic and natural. That should really help us pull together because we are only a squad of eight right now, so we're going to need to stick together as a team as one unit."
Out of those eight players the Inferno have just two players with collegiate volleyball court time under their belts, including the squad's lone senior, middle blocker and outside hitter Rebecca Schmid (Tigerton), and junior setter Kim Reuter (Franklin), who returns to the team after missing the 2007 season.
Fortunately for Alverno, Schmid was the squad's leader on both offense and defense last season, starting 27 matches to finish with 257 kills and 376 digs. Reuter is also likely to be a key contributor this season as she appeared in all 27 of the Inferno's matches and recorded a team-high 47 service aces and 130 digs in 2006.
"Rebecca has an all-around positive attitude and is always willing to learn more about the game," McClure said. "She's been very receptive to the changes and doesn't have the mindset that she's a senior and doesn't need to learn anything new. Kim will be a big key to our offense. She has come back and really stepped up the program even though she didn't play last year."
The Inferno certainly have a lot of room to grow this season, as the squad was picked to finish last out of 13 schools in the Northern Athletics Conference according to the preseason coaches' poll after being shut out, 0-12, in 2007 NAC match play. However, McClure's excitement for the squad's season-opening tournament at Wisconsin Lutheran this coming Friday and Saturday, Aug. 29-30, indicates her designs on improving the squad's overall record from last season as well as snagging a few NAC wins.
"I think our competition is going to be very surprised by how we have come together," McClure said. "We have some tricks up our sleeve and all we can do is come in every match and give it our all. The girls are very positive on the court, so one mistake doesn't get us down. We just keep plugging away and keep pushing harder."
In order to progress from last year's mark, McClure acknowledges that the Inferno will be challenged by their lack of experience.
"We need to learn each other on the court as fast as we can," McClure said. "Considering the fact that we're a brand-new team, that's the only way we're going to bring everything together. The girls are very positive on the court and push each other to improve in every practice. We're also staying in our own positions on the court, which I understand was a problem last year."
Alverno will also have to find an answer for its lack of height with only one player on the roster listed above 5-foot-10 in sophomore middle blocker Robyn Rosenthal (Burlington/Waterford Union), who missed last season to recover from shoulder surgery in 2006.
"Robyn is going to be a huge addition for our front row," McClure said. "She's learning very fast in terms of the different steps she needs to take. Even though she missed last year because of her shoulder surgery, the game is coming back to her very fast."
With only one senior, leadership is likely to come in various forms regardless of age or college volleyball experience.
Outside hitter/setter Ashley Graham (Cudahy) and outside hitter Liz Malko (New Berlin/Eisenhower) have already shown signs of their abilities to lead the Inferno, despite the fact that they are freshmen.
"We are fortunate to have a very strong team this year personality-wise," McClure said. "Ashley is very dominant on the court, isn't afraid to speak up and has already proven that she's a great asset to the team. She is defensive-savvy and has a lot of quickness we're going to need, so she'll probably be a big contributor for us along with Rebecca.
"Liz is definitely a team player. She hasn't played much volleyball in the past, but she caught on in the first practice in terms of how to pass the ball and how to take an approach. She adapts so well, has such a positive attitude and has come very far early on in the season."
The Inferno also welcome the additional depth of sophomore outside hitter Maria Guzman (Franklin), freshman outside hitter Holly Breh (Sleepy Hollow, Ill./Dundee Crown) and freshman outside hitter/setter Alicia Kontowski (South Milwaukee), who is also a member of Alverno's women's basketball team along with Rosenthal.
"Holly and Maria are very supportive of teammates and bring a positive attitude on and off the court," McClure said. "Alicia is a recent addition and will be our second set of hands at setter. She's taller in relation to the rest of our team, so that's a great addition for us."
The Inferno will be better able to gage their progress so far as they begin their season with four non-conference matches at the Wisconsin Lutheran Warrior Invite on Friday with North Central University (Minn.) at 3 p.m. and Lake Forest College at 5 p.m. Saturday's matches will pit Alverno against North Park University at 12 p.m. and Carroll University at 2 p.m.
"We're still learning," McClure said. "It's going to be a trial and error learning process for me this year, but not having a returning line-up from last year gives us the chance to start fresh and change the outlook of this team. The coaching staff brings a lot of energy and so does our team, so I think we're going to surprise a lot of people. We just have to go in strong and not give anything up because we don't have anything to lose."
