 |  |
Owls not afraid of having a target on their back
KEENE, N.H. 8/21/09 - Knowing that everyone is out to get them, members of the Keene State women's volleyball team showed up at their first day of practice fittingly attired in t-shirts emblazoned with a target.
"Everyone is shooting to beat us, so we thought the targets would be very appropriate," said Jordan Pokryfki, one of four seniors on the team who came up with the idea of making the shirts to help bond the squad.
Adding four new players to the 12 returnees that helped the Owls post a program-best 29-9 record and capture their first LEC championship and NCAA berth last fall, Coach Bob Weiner has taken a different approach when it comes to the pressure of defending the title. "Rather than taking a defensive viewpoint about it, we're going to say come and get us. Give us your best shot," said Weiner, the Owls fifth-year coach. "We might be a little cocky, but we also have to be careful and realize it's going to take a lot of work to retain the championship."
The first order of business for Weiner is to find replacements for middle blocker Brittany O'Bryant and defensive specialists Sarah Peterson. O'Bryant, a first team All-LEC pick, rewrote the Owl record book for kills and blocks while Peterson, the LEC's Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-LEC selection, set new marks for digs.
"We have some decisions to make, and we need to make them right away, because it will affect how we train some players," said Weiner. "The first couple of days are going to be very intense as we figure out everyone's job."
There's no question about the setter's position, though; Pokryfki will be there to run the Owls offense. "This is Jordan's year. It's her team," said Weiner. "We're going to give her the opportunity to decide what type of offense we're going to run."
Pokryfki, a two-time All-LEC setter, says it will take her a week to get back in rhythm. "I definitely will have to make some adjustments with the freshmen," she said. "I know how my returning teammates play and how they like to be set."
"Everybody on the team is ready to work hard," Pokryfki said. "We want to further our accomplishments."
In addition to Pokryfki, Weiner is expecting a big season from returning All-LEC hitter Bridget O'Bryant and the middle hitting duo of Ellyse Davis and Braelen O'Toole. Liz NacNaughton and Amanda Studer top the list of newcomers.
Once the season starts, the Owls will abandon their target t-shirts for a more formal attire. Last season, the team wore warm-up jerseys with the slogan made famous by Boston Celtic star Kevin Garnett: "Anything Is Possible." With a championship in hand, Weiner has borrowed a slogan from former UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden, who know a thing or two about defending a title: "Winning takes talent, repeating takes character."
Keene State opens up defense of its Little East championship at Southern New Hampshire University on September 2.
