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Volleyball to start national title hunt at home
By Chris Mitchell The No. 2 volleyball team begins its quest for a Division III-record eighth national championship as the Bears host the Central Regional of the 2002 NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament Nov. 14-16 at the Field House. After bowing out in the quarterfinals last season, head coach Rich Luenemann and the Bears have only one thing on their minds this year: a national championship.
And flowing is what the Bears have done in 2002. They began the season with a 31-match winning streak, capturing five tournament championships along the way. "Beginning the season with a 31-match winning streak was a confidence-builder for us," Luenemann said. "We loaded our schedule with as many tough opponents as possible, and our successes against them proved we can beat anyone in Division III." At 37-1, the Bears earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after winning their 14th straight University Athletic Association championship with a 3-0 victory over No. 7 Emory University Nov. 9. The win against the Eagles was huge for the Bears, as it gave them momentum heading into the tournament. "It was a very big win against Emory because it showed us how we need to play in the NCAA tournament and how we can dominate a match," junior Amy Brand said. Luenemann said, "Our loss to Wittenberg (University Nov. 2) demonstrated that we are not invincible. The team responded well, as evidenced in the victory over Emory. "If we continue to play the same way we did against Emory, we'll be tough to beat." Senior co-captain Rebecca Rotello, a first-team all-UAA selection and the Division III National Player of the Week this week, has been the heart and soul of the young Bear squad. She has been named UAA Athlete of the Week two times and has vaulted her way into second place on the all-time WUSTL assist list at 4,458. "We knew we would be one of the top teams this year, and it was just a matter of making it happen," Rotello said. "We need to maintain focus and keep the intensity high every time we step on the court. We know we can play well, it's just a matter of bringing that game to the floor each night." Rotello has had many options in the offense this season as seven Bears have recorded 147 or more kills. Luenemann feels the depth on his team is due largely to the experience his starters have.
Brand, also a first-team all-UAA selection, leads the Bears with 368 kills, a .344 hitting percentage and 131 blocks. Brand, along with junior Katie Quinn -- who is second on the team with 347 kills and 125 blocks -- form one of the top middle blocker combinations in Division III. Sophomore Colleen Winter, WUSTL's third first-team all-UAA honoree, has emerged as one of the premier back row players in the country. Winter has recorded 331 kills and 436 digs, good for sixth on the all-time WUSTL single-season list. Junior Cindy McPeak, a second team all-UAA selection, has become one of the premier right side attackers in the nation. She's having her best season as a Bear with 238 kills and a .277 hitting percentage. Sophomore Ishi Ballew and freshman Heidi Pfeiffer have split time at outside hitter for the Bears, combining for 378 kills and 565 digs. Rotello, a first-team All-American last year and a frontrunner for Division III Player of the Year honors this season, knows it will not be an easy road as the Red and Green try to win the national championship but feels her team has the talent to do it. "It would be awesome to end my career with a national championship," Rotello said. "As a team, we have talked about it all season." |
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