After three losses last weekend, the Virginia volleyball team will look to bounce back this weekend in the VCU Invitational against Ball State, East Tennessee State University and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The Cavaliers (6-3) were undefeated before losing a pair of five-setters against Loyola and Youngstown State and a three-setter against host Northwestern in the Wildcat Challenge.
“A lot of things that we did well in the other tournaments, we didn’t necessarily do,” sophomore outside hitter Jasmine Burton said. “With this tournament, we weren’t passing as well. We weren’t swinging as high or as hard, so as a team, we need to get better at a lot of different things.”
Virginia had held opponents to a hitting percentage of under .200 in its first three games of the season. Though the Cavaliers were not able to maintain that level of play against their next three opponents, their offense was strong enough to keep them in the game and win. The Cavaliers hit above .300 in the Cavalier Classic just a week earlier, but could not do the same this past weekend.
“With the offense, more than anything, it was our passing and ball control,” coach Dennis Hohenshelt said. “When we were in our system and passing the ball well, no one could stop us.”
Indeed, the Cavaliers led for 17 points in the third set against the Greyhounds before Loyola tied and eventually took the lead for good.
“We let teams back in matches because we weren’t real sharp,” Hohenshelt said. “We just gave teams points. We can’t do that. We’re better than that.”
The Cavaliers also led for 33 straight points in the second set of the Northwestern game before eventually losing their best set of the match. Virginia managed to hit .306 in the second set compared to .087 and .095 hitting percentages in the first and third sets, respectively.
“If we get a bad pass, we need to get a better set and a better swing,” Hohenshelt said. “We need to better the ball when things don't go well at first contact.”
Defensively, the Cavaliers had not allowed any player to hit more than 19 kills in the first six games of the season — but they allowed two players to do so this weekend.
“We’ve been working really hard these past two days blocking in practice because we weren’t blocking as well as we should have,” Burton said. “I need to be more of a floor presence, rather than just a hitter.”
Even so, the Cavaliers finished with more blocks than Loyola and Youngstown State and had only one less than Northwestern. But passing was a key factor once again for the Cavaliers, who had fewer digs in all three games.
“I think there’s definitely room for improvement,” sophomore defensive specialist Lexi Riccolo said. “We’re coming in early and getting that stuff done. I think we’ve moved past last weekend and we’re focusing on what we can do better and how to fix our mistakes so we’re prepared for our next competition.”
All three of Virginia’s opponents this weekend had winning records last year but currently have losing records.
Picked to win the Mid-American Conference West Division, Virginia’s first match this upcoming weekend, Ball State (3-6), also recently lost three games. Those losses included a game against No. 4 Wisconsin, a team that finished second in the NCAA Tournament last season.
“Ball State has had a really tough schedule,” Hohenshelt said. “They’re a ball control, scrappy team, so we’re going to have to be ready for that type of thing.”
Junior libero Alex Fuelling and junior middle hitter Hayley Benson, both of whom were named to the Preseason All-MAC West Division team, lead the Cardinals. Fuelling had 59 digs in the Cardinals’ three games last weekend, while Benson’s streak of four consecutive matches with at least 14 kills was broken during the second of the three games.
Saturday, the Cavaliers will face East Tennessee State (4-7). The Buccaneers return 12 players, including senior middle blocker Meredith Hardy. Hardy currently holds the Atlantic Sun all-time blocks record and recently reached her 1,000th kill in the team’s loss to Utah last Friday.
The Cavaliers will then finish the tournament against host VCU (2-7).
“I know VCU has some really athletic kids coming back from last year,” Hohenshelt said. “They had a really good year last year and they have a really good setter.”
VCU’s setter is senior Cecilia Aragao, who missed part of the 2013 season with a knee injury. Aragao had 97 assists in three games for the Rams this past weekend.
“It’s another three games,” Hohenshelt said. “We have to be ready to play or else we’re going to get beat. This group has to understand that if we’re not ready, anyone can beat us and if we’re ready, we can beat anyone, and that’s where we’re at right now with this group.”
The tournament tips off at 5 p.m. Friday in Richmond, Virginia.
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