media information - season preview GO PASS • GO SET • GO HIT • GO LIONS
Megan Nash
finish at the Ann Kang Hawai’i Tournament in 2008. “Katie comes to our program from one of the premier high schools in the country, Newport Harbor High School. Prepping there, she has emerged as a very talented volleyball player with an abundance of skill. She has the ability to play as an outside hitter, but could potentially vie for the libero position as well in 2009.” Spees, named first team All-State for the state of Virginia as a senior, was a Prep Volleyball All-American and was named to the Prep Volleyball Senior Aces list. The Concorde District Player of the Year in 2008, she was also named Northern Region Player of the Year that same season. A four-time All-Northern Region Tournament selection and two-time team captain, she garnered second team All-District as a junior en route to being named a Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year nominee as a senior. “Samantha is one of the most accomplished seniors coming out of Virginia this year. She has tremendous accolades, including being named All-State and Most Valuable Player in her region. She comes from a tremendous volleyball family, as her father was a Southern California standout in beach volleyball, and also played indoors and was very accomplished there as well.”
The 2009 Lineup The seven newcomers join a program that returns three starters, having lost senior starters Emily Day, Erin Downey and Lauren Kirk, and sophomore Renee Horton. Although the loss of all four players could be seen as a massive blow to a squad consisting of no seniors, the Lions have always had depth at several positions, and this year is no exception. A core of young returnees anxious for their shot to lead the team to greatness, teamed with a handful of eager freshmen looking to showcase their talents at the next level, should result in battles for starting positions and an exciting and successful season in 2009.
Outside Hitter Considered one of the team’s “go-to” players this year, Ariana Covington returns to the outside hitter position this season. Covington, a WCC All-Freshman team honoree a year ago, finished her first season with 310 kills, placing second on the team in that category, and first in terms of freshmen. Her 876 total attacks also placed her second on the squad. She averaged 2.77 kills-per-set, good for first in the WCC among her freshmen counterparts, while hitting .201 over the course of the year. Covington also proved active at the net with 23 total blocks, including five solos and 18 assists en route to finishing the year with 333 total points. In WCC play, the Carlsbad, Calif. native was the top freshman in terms of kills, collecting 170 at a rate of 3.15 per set. Staying hot throughout the year, she recorded 10 or more kills on 18 occasions, including 14 of her last 16 matches. Covington will not be alone in the hunt for swings from the outside, as a handful of freshmen in Alaina Bergsma, Felicia Arriola, Katie Lawler, Sammy Spees and Arin Dear-Walker, along with sophomore Jasmine Rankins, provide the coaching staff with strong options at the position.
Opposite In one of many battles to be won throughout the season at various positions in the starting lineup, sophomore Emily Cheek, along with freshmen Alaina Bergsma and Felicia Arriola, will compete for time playing opposite the setter. Last year, Cheek played in 15 of LMU’s 30 matches, starting four, despite missing time due to injury. She collected 37 kills on the year and managed 10 blocks, including three solos and seven assists. Bergsma, who redshirted her true-freshman campaign a year ago, had an outstanding spring season for the Lions, and should find time somewhere on the court on a regular basis. Sophomore Jasmine Rankins and junior Megan Nash could also vie for time at the opposite position.
Setter Another battle to be won on the court throughout the season is at the starting setter position. Alesha Young, who served as the team’s starting setter during the spring, will battle for playing time with freshman Olivia Bailey. Young appeared in 18 matches, starting five, as a freshman last year. She finished second on the team in assists, passing-out 167 at a rate of 3.63 per set, while also collecting five aces. Proving her worth from the service area late in the season, three of her five total service aces came against WCC foes down the stretch. Bailey, a 2007 AAU All-American and two-time conference MVP, is joined by Nikki Lane as the two freshmen setters on this year’s roster.
Defensive Specialist
2009 LMU volleyball
The Lions once again find themselves with an impressive amount of depth, albeit young, at the defensive specialist position this year. Four players, two sophomores and two freshmen, will compete for time on the court. Lauren DeGrandmont showcased her talent during the spring, serving as the starting libero throughout. DeGrandmont appeared in 29 matches and 93 sets for the Lions as a freshman last year, serving-up four aces and dishing-out 16 assists. She managed 146 digs at a rate of 1.57 per set, including a personal-best 11 digs on two occasions. Her dig total placed her fourth on the team, and first in terms of freshmen, last year. Fellow sophomore, Diana Hiromoto, will also fight for time on the court. Hiromoto appeared in 51 sets and 16 matches as a freshman, and was named to the Four Points Sheraton LAX/LMU Volleyball Classic All-Tournament team after serving-up seven aces and posting 33 digs. One of the best servers on the team, she notched 20 service aces at a rate of .39 per set, tops on the squad. Hiromoto, who collected 118 digs at a rate of 2.31
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