Emily Kirkwood doesn't need your attention. In the world of volleyball, eyes will always be drawn to the leaping hitters and diving defensive specialists. Kirkwood can deal with that. After all, while the limelight may be elsewhere, the junior from Tampa has become Virginia's quiet leader.
"It's actually really sad," head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. "The setter is basically responsible for every point that's scored, but they don't usually get the recognition that hitters and other players might."
On the court, Kirkwood is one of the most dominant setters the Cavaliers have had in years. The two-year starter holds the school's single-game assist record with 81 and currently sits fourth on Virginia's all-time assist list. Keep an eye on that last statistic, because Kirkwood still has two years left to play.
In 2004, Kirkwood was named to the VaSID All-State team and was ranked 26th among all Division I players with 13.08 assists per game.
Aside from all the numbers, Kirkwood has gained the respect of her coach and teammates, who recently voted her one of the four co-captains for 2005. As her team's starting setter in all 30 games last season, Kirkwood has become the unofficial offensive leader on the floor.
"The setter is probably the most important player on the court," Shelton said. "Not only do they execute plays, they're responsible for every part of the game."
In volleyball, the setter handles the ball from a defender and sets up the offensive hitters for the kill. To do so requires not only physical stamina but also extreme mental quickness.
"As a setter, you have to feel hitters out and see who's hot and who's not," Kirkwood said. "You usually choose your sets according to what blocking formation they're using on the other side of the net so you can put it where they're not."
It doesn't hurt that Kirkwood is close to her hitters off the court as well. One of the players on the receiving end of many of Kirkwood's sets is her sister Sarah, an all-ACC selection.
"You have to have great relationships with your hitters to work well on the court," Emily Kirkwood said. "It really helps to be close to them off the court so you have good communication. I think I could set my sister with my eyes closed."
Emily Kirkwood and the rest of the Cavaliers will see action beginning Sept. 2 when the team travels to Texas for the first tournament of the year. After a three-game stint down South, the team will play in Dayton, Ohio the weekend of Sept. 9. In these games, as in every match this season, expect to see Emily Kirkwood at the center of Virginia's 5-1 offense.
Even though she may not be the flashiest or highest-scoring player on the court, Emily Kirkwood's play has forced Virginia volleyball fans to sit up and take notice. From her position at the team's offensive core, one thing is certain: if Emily Kirkwood has a good season in 2005, the rest of the team will follow.
The original headline incorrectly stated Emily Kirkwood is younger than her sister Sarah. In fact, Emily is the older of the pair.
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