Ags look to carry momentum to La.
After applying the brakes to a five-game losing skid last Saturday, the USU women’s volleyball team is looking to stretch out that feeling of success.
The only catch is the fact that the Aggies (11-13, 4-6 in WAC play) will have to do it away from the Spectrum.
The team leaves Wednesday for Ruston, La., to prepare for a match Thursday at 6 p.m. against the Lady Techsters of Louisiana Tech (6-19, 0-8).
“It’s gonna be a hard week,” USU Head Coach Grayson DuBose said. “Travel-wise alone makes it a real challenge. Louisiana Tech is much improved, plus they’re playing at home. It’s gonna be a challenging match for us.”
For this match, the odds – at least on paper – are in the Aggies’ favor.
The Lady Techsters are the only winless team in the conference. Plus, the Aggies handily defeated them in three games Sept. 30.
But, as DuBose pointed out, the game is on the road, and before the two home games played last week, the Aggies dropped four road contests in a row.
Another thing going for the Aggies is a greater sense of unity among players.
After last Thursday’s defeat at the feet of the Idaho Vandals, the team held a players-only meeting.
It’s purpose?
“We kind of made a point that we really needed [to beat Boise State],” said sophomore middle blocker Rebecca Anderson, who set two USU records in the win against the Broncos.
“[We said], ‘We’re gonna go into practice on Friday and really work on everything that had been lacking in that game.’ That’s what we did. We just pointed out everything that needed to be done. I think that did have something to do with [the win].”
Anderson, a walk-on to the team as well as a native of Logan, said redshirt junior Melissa Osterloh was the one who called the meeting together.
After the match, DuBose said he liked the way the team took some accountability in doing such a thing. Tuesday he also praised Osterloh, who transfered from Portland State to become an Aggie.
“She’s been working real hard in the weight room and trying to learn the systems,” DuBose said. “She’s trying to help us get as good as we can get. It’s kind of nice to have that leadership from her.”
Historically, the Aggies are 3-0 all-time against the Lady Techsters, including a four-game win last year in Ruston.
Opposite-side hitter Amanda Nielson and freshman outside hitter Hailey Jeppson continue to lead the Aggies statistically.
Nielson is averaging 5.13 points, 4.15 kills, 2.06 digs, 1.10 blocks and .38 service aces per game.
Jeppson isn’t far behind with 3.49 points, 3.01 kills, 2.77 digs and 0.59 blocks a game.
The Lady Techsters are motored by junior middle blocker Shannon Phillips, who has a .179 attacking percentage per game, as well as nearly four kills and 3.5 digs.
So, the Aggies are hoping a little more concentration will help with consistency and another win to move closer to .500 in the standings.
“We need to stay strong like we did Saturday,” Anderson said. “Really focus on getting our blocks up. Our whole team just had an amazing match [against the Broncos]. We all really came together and played as a team.
“If we were going up to hit we were ready to cover each other,” she said. “None of our hitters were afraid to swing away because if it got blocked somebody would be there to get the ball up. Everybody just had amazing matches. There wasn’t one person that didn’t do well.”
-sbhislop@cc.usu.edu