Volleyball dominates at the net
Sept. 24, 2009 In front of Texas senior libero Heather Kisner stands one of the tallest front lines in the nation. It's also one of the most dominating -- the Longhorns lead the nation with 3.48 blocks per set. Kisner thinks about that almost selfishly. "It means less balls I have to dig," Kisner jokes. Of course, what Kisner says is true. But even when the Longhorns don't earn a legitimate block, they often manage to at least get touches as balls come over the net. That results in an easier ball to dig, and also turns the match into a mind game. If blockers are constantly getting hands on balls, the hitters start thinking instead of swinging. "It just shuts them down," says sophomore middle blocker Rachael Adams, who leads the team with 1.32 blocks per set. For most observers, blocking may look like the simplest of volleyball tasks -- jump high, hold your arms higher and hope you hit something. But in reality, most of a blocker's work is done before she can act. First, they pay attention to where the pass goes and how the setter handles it. Then, they anticipate. "It's all about envisioning," junior Jennifer Doris says. And the Longhorns are blessed with a group that envisions well, and also has the physical tools to follow up at the net. Destinee Hooker and Juliann Faucette are a force on the left side. Faucette recorded a personal-best five solo blocks last week against then-No. 10 Iowa State, and Hooker owns a vertical leap that has helped her become a four-time national champion in the high jump.
Adams claims that blocking is her "favorite thing to do," on the court, and she often pairs well with freshman Bailey Webster. Though raw, Webster is already considered one of the most talented blockers on the team. "It's so much fun to watch Bailey," says Doris, who is second on the team in blocks. "She gets way up there." Common logic says that every inch a player gets over the net is a foot of court she takes away, and the Longhorns never have a player shorter than 6-foot-1 in the front row. The inches add up to the best blocking team in the nation. "As a team, everyone is so good individually," Doris says. "We we play together, we are that much better." |
|
