MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - The Millersville women's volleyball team enters 2022 with opportunity to seize. The Marauders lost nearly 60% of its offensive production, and Coach
Brian Smith, heading into his 13th season as the program's leader, is looking for someone to step up on the attack.
Players like
Kylie Airesman,
Rose Vail and
Laurel Samko have all been with the program for three years, and now is their opportunity. Airesman started 27 of 31 matches and ranked third on the team in kills in 2021. Samko and Vail played in 10 and eight matches respectively. The Marauders need finishers, and Smith is looking for someone--veteran or newcomer--to step into that role.
Among the newcomers to stand out in camp has been freshman
Caroline Halsey at middle hitter. She is undersized for the position at 5-8, but Smith says she makes up for the lack of height with quickness and intangibles.
"She's been a bright spot," said Smith. "She is very quick, works hard and finds ways to score."
Millersville does have continuity with its setter,
Emma Ludwig. Ludwig started 30 matches as a true freshman in 2021 and helped two Marauders earn All-PSAC East honors. Ludwig piled up more than 1,000 assists and ranked third in the PSAC. That year of experience has slowed the game for Ludwig, and she's also made adjustments to better suit the Marauders' abilities in 2022.
"She came from a system that set a lot of high balls. She's a pretty good passer and hitter because on her high school team, on the front row, she played as an outside hitter," said Smith. "She's been working on speeding up the tempo to our outside hitters, getting quicker and flatter so we can avoid facing two big blockers. She's getting better at identifying the defense and improving her volleyball IQ. It was a great opportunity to start as a freshman. She's very coachable."
Without an overpowering outsider hitter and small on the front line, the Marauders will lean into their strengths, and that is passing and serving. Graduate student
Emily Hoffman and fourth-year junior libero
Becca Dalstad have played in big matches for the Marauders. On the 2019 team that reached the NCAA Tournament, Dalstad led in service aces, and last season, she ranked 12th in the PSAC in digs. Hoffman was one of the primary defensive specialists for the 2018 PSAC East championship team, and was among the team leaders in sets played, aces, digs and assists in 2019. Hoffman's role changed in 2021 to add some punch to the attack, but the veteran presence provided by Dalstad and Hoffman is invaluable.
Madison Von Neida,
Mya Cascario and
Rachel Vivolo all played as freshmen in 2021 and give the Marauders strong servers and passers.
"We pass and serve well, and those will critical aspects of our game," said Smith. "Weve got a good group of defensive players. Our hitting percentage and offense is an area we need to improve, and there will be a disadvantage at the net, so we have to play to our strengths."
Those strengths also include intangibles like chemistry and competitive fire. With lack of proven production on the outside and a lack of height at the net, the Marauders will need those intangibles to compete.
"We want to play fearless and take risks," said Smith. "There will be a disadvantage at the net, and it will be a challenge offensively, but this group has been one of my favorites to coach. We know they will represent the university well in the way they compete. Our upperclassmen have lived together and been on the court together for a long time. They work hard for each other."
Smith saw that drive in the spring in scrimmages against PSAC East rivals Shippensburg and East Stroudsburg. In both scrimmages, Smith said after losing the first set, the team rallied and won four sets in a row.
That is just the kind of resolve the Marauders will need in 2022. Millersville was picked No. 6 in the eight-team PSAC East preseason poll a week ago. That was just where the Marauders finished in the standings with an 11-20 record in 2021.
The season begins with four matches in West Chester on Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, Aug. 27. The Marauders return home for the Marauder Clash on Sept. 2-3 and hope to take advantage of home court with seven consecutive home matches from Sept. 13-Oct. 1.
