The 2008 Behrend Lions volleyball team returns five starters
from last year's squad and looks to blend that experience with a
talented freshman class for a title run this season. After
three straight seasons of competing in the AMCC Championship match,
the 2007 Behrend team bowed out in the conference semifinals.
The blue and white earned a share of the AMCC regular season title
with an 8-1 record during conference play and finished at 18-12
overall.
Head coach Phil Pisano returns for his fifth season in charge of
the Behrend Lions program. Pisano said, "Last year we
accomplished some important things with a very inexperienced
squad. Our upperclassmen gained valuable experience and we
are excited to see that pay off for them this fall."
Joining Pisano on the sideline this year is fifth-year assistant
coach Gerry Vensel. Former Behrend Lion Paige Payer joins the
coaching staff for the first time, while Karla Murray returns to
assist with coaching duties for the second season.
Brittany Hennessy (Hopewell/Hopewell) will be the lone senior on
the 2008 team and will push to bookend her Behrend career by
leading the squad to the AMCC title. The team won the
conference championship in 2005 with Hennessy as a freshman and
advanced to its first NCAA Tournament. She has been an
all-conference team member as a libero in each of her three seasons
for the blue and white, and enters the season with 1,662 career
digs, just five digs from breaking the all-time school
record.
Three junior starters return in 2008 with their sights set on a
playoff run. Brooke Gallentine (Mt. Pleasant/Southmoreland)
has racked up 2,083 assists in two seasons as a setter for the
Behrend Lions. Outside hitter Carissa Johnston (Cambridge
Springs/Cambridge Springs) pounded out 295 kills a season ago while
being named honorable mention all-conference. First-team
all-conference middle hitter Sheila Ogden (Grove City/Grove City)
was the team's 2007 MVP after leading the squad with 315 kills and
a .270 hitting percentage.
Pisano said, "Brittany, Brooke, Carissa, and Sheila are now very
experienced players after having been starters and playing key
roles the past few seasons. Their ability to play at a
consistently high level will be a big factor in how far this team
will go. I am excited to see how this group will lead our
younger players, and eager to watch them accomplish great things on
the court."
Starting middle hitter Jenna Kelly suffered an injury in the spring
tournament and will miss the 2008 season, leaving two sophomores on
this year's squad. Danielle Woods (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) and
Aubry Regan (Edinboro/General McLane) return for their second
season with the blue and white. Woods was the team's rookie
of the year a season ago, leading the team in service aces while
ranking second in digs and fourth in kills. Regan appeared in
32 games as a freshman and will work to produce a big season as a
middle or right side hitter in 2008.
Eight freshmen join the Behrend Lions in 2008 and will look to make
an immediate impact on the program. Four W.P.I.A.L. players
begin their college careers, including Kaitlyn Bianco
(Aliquippa/Center), Liz Emerick (Hopewell/Hopewell), Alex Johnson
(Imperial/West Allegheny), and Stef Kelley (Moon
Township/Moon). The three District 10 players who join the
blue and white are Lauren Dalton (Cochranton/Cochranton), Danielle
Kindle (Erie/McDowell), and Ariel Mehlenbacher
(Titusville/Titusville). The eighth freshman, Hilary
Wadsworth (Randolph/Randolph Central) was on the New York All-State
team a season ago. Pisano said, "This is an outstanding group
that has the opportunity to contribute quickly for our team, with
the talent and potential to make a huge mark on this program in the
years to come."
A challenging schedule awaits the team in 2008 as the Behrend Lions
will play at least 13 of their 20 non-conference matches against
teams that won 20 or more games in 2007. The season begins
with a trip to Kentucky for the Thomas More Invitational August 30
and 31. The following weekend the blue and white compete in
the Behrend Invitational September 5 and 6 at home in the Junker
Center, where the squad is 33-5 over the past three seasons.
Conference play begins September 27 at home against La Roche,
during a tri-match with Thiel. The Behrend Lions will also
have two home matches televised on Image Sports, first against
Fredonia on September 30 and then on October 29 versus AMCC
opponent Pitt-Bradford.
The NCAA passed new rules for collegiate volleyball in the
offseason, as the first four games, which are now called "sets" are
played to 25 instead of 30 points. Teams are now limited to
12 substitutions per set, down from the old limit of 15. With
these changes, matches are expected to be closer contests, with
each point in the rally scoring set taking on greater
importance. Pisano said, "Teams that can let go of one
mistake instead of dwelling on it will do well, as giving up a run
of points in the shorter sets will be very difficult to
overcome. I like that this team has really worked on serving
aggressively and looks to be one that can play solid floor defense,
which should give us an opportunity to score points in
bunches."
Pisano said, "Our immediate plans are to get healthy after some
preseason injuries and work to grow as a team each day. I
believe the potential of this team is quite high, and I know we are
all determined to reach our long term goals of battling for the
league title and returning to the postseason. The players
know what it is going to take to reach our goals this fall and are
anxious to begin this journey, and I am confident they are prepared
to handle the challenges that await."