Underclassmen power Aggie volleyball
With no seniors on the roster and multiple freshmen playing heavy minutes, the Utah State volleyball team has gotten off to a slow start this season.
“We’re super young. We’re inexperienced,” said sophomore outside hitter Rachel Gale. “Not as an excuse, but it takes awhile to get that synergy going with your team and so that’s what we’re working on right now.”
The team has struggled through the early part of the season, but head coach Grayson DuBose has seen positive growth.
“We have kids stepping up. We have kids getting out of their comfort zones just a little bit and assuming leadership roles,” DuBose said. “We’re progressing and we’re maturing, which is nice to see.”
The Aggies defeated Utah Valley at home Tuesday night to push their overall record to 3-8. Utah State will play five straight road games over the next few weeks – a tough ask for any team, let alone one so young.
“It’s a trial by fire,” DuBose said.
Junior libero Hannah Gleason expects the early season road games to help the team later on.
“We’re a little inexperienced, but these games are giving us a lot more experience so I think we’ll do a lot better later on,” Gleason said.
The inexperience of the team was exacerbated when starting junior setter Erica Moscoso went down with an injury in the game against Utah on Sept. 1.
“We were in a nice rhythm with Erica,” DuBose said. “Throwing in a freshman who’s never been in the mix before, it’s tough.”
The team needs to have a “next woman up” attitude to overcome the injury, DuBose said.
Kassidy Johnson is the freshman who was called on to take Moscoso’s spot in the starting lineup. She has shown progress over the early part of the season, scoring a career-high 54 assists against Utah Valley.
“I’m happy for her, she played well,” DuBose said. “I thought she set a really nice volleyball game; set the right people at the right time.”
Although Moscoso has not been on the court since the injury, her experience has still helped the team, Johnson said.
“Erica has done an amazing job talking to me during practice, during games, helping me with what I’m doing wrong, what I need to do and what I’m doing good with,” Johnson said.
Johnson did not expect a significant amount of playing time her freshman year, let alone starting multiple games, she said. She credited the coaching staff with helping her feel comfortable.
“They’re very understanding and they get on me sometimes, but it really pushes me and I know that I can do it,” Johnson said.
Experienced players like Gale and junior outside hitter Kaylie Kamalu have also helped Johnson, she said.
“They’re always pointing at me, always giving me credit for setting them,” Johnson said.
The Aggies will play three games in the Northern Colorado Invitational Friday and Saturday before visiting Colorado State and Wyoming in the first two games of conference play. Utah State’s next home game will be against Fresno State on Oct. 1.
– thomas.sorenson@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @tomcat340