This is part six in our 2012 preview of the Creighton Volleyball Team. Today we look at the Bluejay setters. Creighton opens the season today down in Tampa, Florida for the USF Invitational
Part 1: Non-Conference Schedule breakdown
Part 2: Conference Opponents
Part 3: Defensive Specialists
Part 4: Middle Blockers
Part 5: Hitters
All-MVC setter Megan Bober leads the Bluejays into 2012 (Spomer/WBR)
When Megan Bober set foot on campus five years ago, she spent the season watching probably the most decorated setter in Creighton history, Korie Lebeda. Spending the year as a redshirt, Bober took notes for the role she was going to take on the following season and the pressure that went with it. Four years later, Bober is getting ready to lead the Bluejays into her senior season, making her own mark on the position.
On the other side of the coin, there is Michelle Sicner. Also a setter, Sicner came into last season ready to play. With the talent she brought to the table, it was hard to keep her off the court. So for the first time in Kirsten Bernthal Booth’s tenure, the Bluejays went with a 6-2 rotation six matches into the season that put Bober and Sicner on the court together at setter. While that may have worked last season, it all may change going into 2012.
Bober enters the season as a two-time All-MVC first team selection and received an honorable mention as an All-American last season. The awards continue off the court with several academic awards and a 4.0 GPA this past spring. The home state product from Murdock, Bober comes into this season more relaxed compared to previous seasons.
Part of that relaxed state is due to Bober’s versatility. Standing at 6-foot, this lets her be a force on the court as a blocker and even as a hitter with both Bober and Sicner on the court at the same time. The versatility is what Bernthal Booth loves the most about Megan as she has grown through the program.
“Physically on the court, it has just been huge. She came in as a good athlete and didn’t set very much. She was very raw and inconsistent, but thought she had great pieces. She was maybe a little timid early in her career. It was tough transition for her to take over the reins, following an all-conference setter in Korie Lebeda. I attribute a lot to Coach (Tom) Mendoza. He really worked with her and is a great setter coach. He helped her handle a lot her sophomore year. She is phenomenal.”
“The other thing that Megan brings is such leadership. She is about as driven as any kid. If there is a drill going on that is subjective in any nature, it drives her nuts because she wants to know how she can win, what she needs to do and she wants to win. That is such a great, awesome thing to have for a leader that has that win at all costs mentality and that is how she is driven.”
Megan has seen herself grow as a player as well, but wants more.
“(Lebeda) was definitely a great setter to come after. I have definitely grown a lot since I came here and have become a better player, but I am just excited to get even better this year and see how far this team can go.”
With her skills, Bober led the nation and set an MVC record with nine triple-doubles (kills, digs, assists) last season–a stat that doesn’t happen that often in women’s volleyball. She also went on to average a triple-double over her final 12 matches of the season.
Sicner came into the season highly touted from Millard North in Omaha. Her 6-2 frame earned herself a position on the MVC All-Freshman team displaying her own versatility starting at setter, right side hitter and defensive specialist positions at different points during the season. With triple-doubles being common place for Bober last season, Sicner scored one of her own in the same match along with Bober against UAB last season.
“Obviously Megan was still here, so I knew I wanted to just find some way to get on the court,” said Sicner. “Whether it was the position I wanted or not, I was just working hard every single practice.
The two setters, while teammates, cause each other to work even harder despite the advantage Bober has over Sicner. “I think everyone on the team is out there to make each other better,” said Bober. “We have such a great set of girls this year, we are just playing at such a high level on both sides of the court.”
Sicner has her own respect for Bober. “In the offseason, Megan and I worked together, just working hard and pushing each other, making sure we were still competition with each other. Megan was the reason why I got to play last year. She pushed me really hard and we really work well together.”
Having two setters is a great luxury for Bernthal Booth and her staff. “The team is so fortunate that we have two phenomenal setters. Michelle Sicner is phenomenal too.”
There are some questions on which way the Bluejays will go with the offense this season. Bober and Sicner were on opposite sides for the greater part of the Blue/White scrimmage last week. We’ll know Friday at the USF invitational which way they will go. Whatever happens, both of them will be in the mix all season for the Bluejays while continuing the strong setter tradition at Creighton.
“I’m ready to get started and get into competition and see this team grow.” said Bober. With the conference race and the NCAA Tournament in their sights in the long run, there are high hopes. “Right now we are not focused on what we were rated going into the season. We have the potential to finish higher at the end.”
Creighton Volleyball opens their home season at DJ Sokol Arena, next Friday, August 31st, in the Bluejay Invitational.