White & Blue Review is previewing the 2014 Creighton Bluejays volleyball season. You can check out all the preview posts here to read position-by-position breakdowns leading up to the season opening invitational at Kansas.
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Creighton volleyball has reached new heights and is on all-cylinders heading into the 2014 season. With 100% of their hitting core back this season, the hitters are one of the deeper positions on the volleyball team heading into the season. Leading the way is senior Leah McNary.
Check out photos from the Blue-White Scrimmage (c/o Mike Spomer)
McNary goes into her senior season after leading the team in kills the previous two seasons as well as holding the Sokol Arena career record of 391 kills, which she will increase this season. “Air” McNary as she is known by some due to her amazing jumping ability has continued to improve each season and finished last season on the All-Big East first team. Although she had fewer kills last season (368) than the previous season (376), her kills per set numbers are slightly higher and her blocking really came on last season. She accounted for 72 block assists and 14 solo blocks, vs. 49 and 5 in 2012, making opposing offenses think twice before coming to her side.
In the offseason, McNary mentioned the challenges she was facing in improving her game.
“I’m trying not being too much of a perfectionist. Sometimes that could hold me back. A lot of us were here over the summer, so it was nice to have my teammates with me working out in the gym and getting ready.”
McNary only started 9 matches last season, since she usually just plays in the front row and the way the rotation started, but was a major contributor in all 32 matches. Even though she is pretty much solid in her position heading into this season, she knows that there are others waiting in the wings.
“I know when preseason starts, no one’s spot is solidified. I could honestly be on the bench, I could be starting–it is not really solidified until after preseason.” But in our minds, she will be on the court whenever possible.
Along with McNary, there is sophomore, Jess Bird. Bird started all 32 matches last season as a freshman and was tied for second on the team in kills with 297, second on the team in digs (338) and third on the team with 19 service aces. This season, things are a lot more comfortable for Bird without the freshman jitters and has a set of expectations for herself.
“I’m super excited. Definitely, this year not being a freshman, you have expectations. You just feel a lot more comfortable out there than your freshman year. Sophomore year, I am ready to compete and play.”
McNary and Bird were two out of 36 players from across the nation that were invited to Minnesota this summer to compete as part of the US Collegiate National Team. Kelli Browning, a middle blocker for the Jays, was a third team member to participate, which made things even more impressive. For McNary and Bird, the experience was one they will never forget.
“That was a blast,” said Bird. “Just to wear USA on your back, it just gave you some extra motivation. And playing with all of these girls around the nation and the top players–it really kind of boosts your confidence that you can play with them. I think it gave Leah, Kelli like, wow, there are three of us, we can really do this.”
McNary also had great things to say.
“It brought some more fight in me. I have plans to play after college. I think that really helped me solidify that I am doing the right thing like this is what you want to do and coming back to my team and go further.”
Not to be forgotten in the mix is junior Melanie Jereb. The outside hitter from Cary, Illinois is a two year starter for the Bluejays, starting 29 of the 32 matches last season. Jereb was shifted around after her freshman season to the right side which was a learning experience with fewer swings, but she continued to thrive in the Creighton offense and will be a key to the Jays having a successful season. She contributed to that in Friday night’s scrimmage.
“We think our execution was best, where except for that last game, no one really let down, everyone was hitting hard and hitting for kills the whole time, the defense was really scrappy, which was really great to see,” said Jereb.
With a lot of experience, Katie Neisler could be asked to step in and contribute in a lot of different ways this season. She has spent time as a defensive specialist and a hitter during her career at Creighton. The senior has stepped up to be a leader on and off the court starting 10 of the 25 matches she appeared in last season. She has been known more for her defense getting 126 digs last season. However, with Jess Bird being limited in practices this preseason due to an unspecified injury, Neisler has had more opportunities at the net, and it showed at the Blue-White scrimmage last Friday night with a combined 7 kills and 16 digs while playing for both teams.
The depth continues with fourth year junior Lizzy Stivers and freshman Toni Tupper as they fight for playing time this season. Both could contribute in different ways.
Stivers has come in primarily to serve during her Creighton career, including appearing in 31 of 32 matches last season. She was fourth on the team with 18 service aces. Whether she continues in the role this season is yet to be seen, but either way, her leadership will be a plus to this veteran team. With her own performance from Friday night, head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth showed the appreciation for her and Neisler.
“Katie Neisler doesn’t get to hit a lot. That kid can hit. Lizzy Stivers doesn’t get to hit a lot even in practice, she hasn’t been hitting much. I thought until the last game, she hit at a very high clip. So a lot of these players that just bust their tail in practice and don’t get to show what they can do are solid. That is what is great about Blue-White night.”
Toni Tupper from Lincoln Northeast turned down scholarship offers from other schools to walk on to the Bluejay program. Tupper had a solid night in the Blue/White scrimmage with a combined 10 kills and 2 digs playing for both teams. With the number of players already in the rotation, it might be hard to crack the lineup, but you never know what could happen.
Bird knows that the competition is tough and the freshman, including Tupper are competing.
“We have 16 players this year, so even just a scrimmage we are out there and competing and working hard. It is awesome having this many people and everyone is getting better because everyone is so competitive.”
Creighton opens the season on Friday night down in Lawrence, Kansas, for the KU Invitational against Lipscomb.
