SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - The 2000 Susquehanna University volleyball team will enter the season hoping to erase memories of the conclusion of the 1999 season. But with a renewed emphasis on defensive play and a solid core of returning players, the Crusaders believe that they can make a run at the top of the Commonwealth Conference standings, which has been owned by Juniata for nearly 20 straight years.
After losses in four of the last five matches, including a pair of key Commonwealth Conference defeats, the Crusaders found themselves on the outside of a three-way tie for the final two playoff berths in 1999 after qualifying for the MAC playoffs for the fourth time in school history one year earlier.
As in 1999, the Crusaders will open the 2000 season at the Franklin & Marshall Scramble Tournament on Saturday, September 2. Last season, Susquehanna defeated Rowan and Bryn Mawr before falling to the host Diplomats in the championship match.
"I love our schedule, especially the beginning," said 8th-year head coach Bill Switala. "Our toughest out of conference games are the first few weeks and the two tournaments (Franklin & Marshall and Coast Guard Academy) should make us really prepared for our conference schedule.”
Switala, who became the first coach in program history to reach the 100-win mark last season (now 114-102 overall), believes solid defensive play is the key to the Crusader postseason dreams.
"Defensively we are one of the best in the conference," Switala said. "We should be able to challenge for the conference title if we stay healthy and our core players step up."
He is enthusiastic about his group of five sophomores, a unit that comprises nearly half of the 12-player roster and which has the potential to lead the team into the postseason.
"Our sophomores have matured better than any other class I have ever coached here," he said of a group led by middle hitter Traci Sariscak (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park H.S.).
The 5-10 Sariscak started and played in 100 of 106 games at middle blocker last season. She led the team in hitting percentage at .284 - ranking among the Commonwealth Conference for most of the season - and was third on the team in kills per game (2.20 per game/220 kills). Sariscak also finished second on the team in blocks per game (0.35 per game/21 solo).
"Traci is one of the team’s biggest offensive weapons," said Switala, who also is counting heavily on 5-11 junior middle blocker Sarah Lauro (Collegeville, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) to maintain the form that has made her a Commonwealth Conference second-team All-Star in each of her first two seasons in orange and maroon.
Lauro played and started in all but two of the team’s 106 games last season. She led the team in blocks and blocks per game (0.85 per game/73 solo) and ranked fifth in the Commonwealth Conference for the season. She was also second on the squad in kills and kills per game (235 kills/2.26 per game), posting a hitting percentage of .199. She also finished second on the team in service aces with 34 (0.33 per game). Lauro was named to the Franklin and Marshall and Coast Guard Academy All-Tournament Teams.
Switala plans to rotate the blockers with defensive specialists Nicole Azar (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall H.S.), a 5-6 sophomore who notched 1.86 digs per game last season, and 5-6 freshman Brea Fahey (Shrewsbury, Pa./Susquehannock H.S.), a member of last year’s state championship team at Susquehannock. Azar has recovered well from a shoulder injury suffered near the end of last season, and will look to improve on her 1.86 per game dig average from 1999. Freshman Natalie Costa (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) should also see time in the back row this season.
"Serve-receive and increasing the kill percentage of our outside hitters are two things we need to focus on for the start of the season," Switala said.
On offense, the Crusaders will run a more complex attack than in previous years, and 5-8 junior co-captain Lydia Steward (Phillipsburg, Pa./Phillipsburg-Osceola H.S.) will be one of the key contributors at outside hitter. After a knee injury two years ago, Steward returned to action last fall and averaged 1.29 kills per game and a .174 hitting percentage. In addition, she ranked third on the team with 30 service aces.
"She has a solid work ethic and leads by example," said Switala. "Lydia helps keep the team focused at practice."
Junior Brittaney Snoke (Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg), who saw action in just 16 games and hit .169 with 1.25 kills per game, and sophomore Robin Tarabochia (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood H.S.), a 5-7 first-year player, are slated to round out the starting lineup.
Coming off the bench in an outside hitter role will be sophomore Ellen Hildebrant (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus H.S.), who averaged 1.47 digs per game as a freshman, and 5-6 sophomore Becki Bert (New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff), who posted 15 aces in 60 games last year.
The offense will revolve around senior co-captain Erin Leslie (Exton, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), a two-year starter who averaged 6.32 assists and 0.59 aces per game to lead the team in both categories and rank fifth and second, respectively, in the Commonwealth Conference. In addition, her 2.60 digs per game and 244 total digs placed her second to graduated senior Missy Kuruzovich in last year’s statistics.
"She has the big-game experience from the playoffs two seasons ago this team needs to lead us," Switala said.
Freshman Robin Clarke (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area), a Mountain League All-Star and member of District 6 championship teams in 1997 and 1999, will also see significant playing time at the setter role during the upcoming season.
