Ags welcome Wolf Pack for final home match
For one Aggie, Saturday’s women’s volleyball match against the Nevada Wolf Pack will be special in more ways than one.
Kelsi Peterson, a senior from Las Vegas, Nev., who plays the libero position, will be competing in her final home match at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum when USU (12-16, 5-8 in WAC play) volleyball team takes the court.
When asked about the challenges the Wolf Pack (15-10, 9-4) will bring to the Spectrum, Peterson’s answer explained clearly her feelings of playing a team from her home state.
“My life-long rivals?” Peterson said of the Wolf Pack. “I’m from Las Vegas, so I’ve competed with those girls for the past eight years. It’s so weird to say it’s been so long.”
The challenge will be great.
The Wolf Pack is currently third place in the WAC, and defeated the Aggies in three games Oct. 4 in Reno.
It was a loss Aggie Head Coach Grayson DuBose attributed in part to the youth of his team, which features Peterson as its only senior.
“It was over before it began,” DuBose said Thurdsay of the loss in Reno. “We’ve had a challenge learning how to play on the road. We kind of got down there and were overwhelmed a little bit by [Nevada]. But [Saturday’s match will] be at our place and it will be familiar, so I think we’ll have a real nice opportunity [to win].”
One thing the Wolf Pack has going for them, DuBose said, is valuable experience which comes from four seniors and two juniors they have in their starting lineup.
One of those juniors – Teal Erickson – is averaging 4.13 kills per game, as well as a .219 attacking percentage.
It’s that kind of play that has helped the Wolf Pack win five of their past seven matches.
“If we can take care of our side a little bit and eliminate errors here and there, I think we’re gonna have a real nice opportunity to get Nevada,” DuBose said. “They’re playing well right now.”
Peterson and junior outside hitter Beth Hodge have been USU’s captains this season. Had she not sat out the 2004 season due to injury, Hodge would be a senior as well.
There have been matches where the Aggies have started three freshmen. For that reason and others, the leadership of Peterson and Hodge has been critical to the success of the team this season.
“She’s been a captain for us and an emotional leader,” DuBose said of Peterson. “As the only senior, the girls kind of look to her how to respond and how to act.”
Peterson, who originally did not plan on playing collegiate volleyball but made the team as a walk-on, acknowledged the fact that being a leader has been a difficult role to be in this season, but said being alongside Hodge has made the burden lighter.
And just like that, four years of volleyball in the Spectrum will come to and end Saturday night for USU’s all-time leader in digs.
“I try not to think about it, but I do,” Peterson said. “I walked into [the Spectrum] today and was just like, ‘It’s gonna be so different being in the stands from now on. I love the Spectrum. There are people who’ve criticized it, [but] it’s one of a kind. It’s really sad that it’s ending. Through the years, through all the pain, tears and sweat you want it to be over, and then it is and you want it to stop and be in slow motion.”
On Oct. 12 of this year in a match at Fresno State, Peterson set a school record for digs in a match with 36, breaking her old record of 34.
“She’s just a good kid to have on your team,” DuBose said of Peterson. “This is my first year coaching her, and I’m limited in what I’ve seen, but she’s learned a bunch this year as far as how to be a libero, how to give direction. She’s really kind of grabbed on and appreciated those roles she’s been having.
“If we had a team filled with Kelsis, we’d be unbelievable.”
-sbhislop@cc.usu.edu