With the arrival of Lee Maes, a young but seasoned coach from a high-pedigree program, and the implementation of a new system, the Virginia volleyball season began with high hopes but uncertainty about how difficult the transition would be. The preseason started well, with a sweep of the James Madison Days Inn Invitational, but the Cavaliers hit some roadblocks with some difficult losses in the Denver Pioneer Invitational.
The performance of the team in the final two tournaments of the preseason were stark contrasts. The Marriott Jefferson Cup, played at home in Memorial Gymnasium, showed Virginia dominating opponents, finding rhythm and making consistent strides. The Wildcat Classic at Northwestern, however, saw the Cavaliers inconsistent, frustrated and occasionally struggling. The team put up a solid effort against then-No. 4 UCLA, but collapsed in five sets to Northwestern before rebounding to trounce Georgetown.
Now Virginia is two games into a week-long series of away games in which the Cavaliers are looking to rebound from three ACC losses to kick off the regular-season schedule. The Cavaliers will look to build on their experience so far this season as they progress down the conference schedule and work toward an ACC title.
The transition for the Cavaliers has been inconsistent and gradual, but the team is showing signs of development.
“I think for us, we’ve developed a lot and we’ve grown a lot,” Maes said. “I’m looking for just that mentality that shows us we’re going to continue playing aggressively, we’re going to attack in everything we do.”
The key for developing chemistry will be the leadership of the three seniors. Middle blocker Shannon Davis has been one of the Cavaliers’ key performers thus far this season, leading the team in hitting percentage (.312).
“I think we’re ready,” Davis said. “We just gotta show up to play when we get there.”
Davis has been one of the cornerstones of the Cavaliers’ volleyball team for her entire collegiate career. She has been a regular starter for Virginia since her first year and continually puts up an impressive number of blocks to accompany her strong hitting percentage and steady stream of kills.
Outside hitter Beth Shelton, another of Virginia’s seniors, also has had an impact on the team. Shelton redshirted her first year for medical reasons and has been a presence for the Cavaliers ever since. She currently ranks fifth on the team in kills (85) and also has totaled 73 digs in the matches so far.
Shelton, though not the top statistical performer on the team, remains a constant threat to her opponents because of her consistency and her demonstrated ability to have explosive streaks of volleyball. Against Duke in 2007, Shelton broke out for 14 kills, and against Arkansas earlier in that season hit five service aces.
Marlow Bruneau, a setter and the Cavaliers’ third senior, is also a key component of the Cavaliers. She was put on the all-tournament teams twice during the preseason and leads the Cavaliers in assists so far in 2008 (411). Her current total is more than double that of the Cavalier with the second highest number of assists, sophomore setter Kelly Irvin (167).
Each of the senior Cavaliers plays a key role in keeping spirits and focus high in the face of whatever challenges the team might face. Their legacy will be how they work through this transition period, finish off Maes’ first season and set up the program for success in years to come.
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