By Kyle LoJacono
Two years ago, the Saint Leo University (SLU) volleyball team was coming off its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament, a sweet 16 appearance and a Sunshine State Conference championship.
That team lost a pair of All-Americans, setter Michelle Nogueras and middle hitter Kaitlin McKenna, following the 2009 season and has been searching to regain its form since then, but a 6-2 start to 2012 has the Lions excited about their potential.
“I think the good start is going to really help the girls, because I think they were questioning where we were,” said eighth-year SLU coach Sam Cibrone. “They knew we were good, but they didn’t know what we could do, so I think the start sets the tone.”
Sophomore Lauren Campbell, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, said they put in extra work during the preseason. Some of the Lions even stayed on campus during the summer.
“When we came back in the fall it all fell together,” Campbell said. “I think our chemistry as a team is great, and it’s unique, honestly. We don’t have any conflict. It’s just great vibes coming into practice.”
Sophomore libero and Steinbrenner High graduate Nikki Doehrmann added, “Every time you go into a new season chemistry is everything. If there’s not any chemistry, even if you have the best players, you’re not going to succeed. We’ve got great chemistry.”
Redshirt junior middle hitter Meghan Donovan said Cibrone has a new way to get maximum effort out of them.
“Coach started this new thing this year where he keeps track of what he calls no-goes,” said the 6-foot Donovan. “We have to run for each. … It’s for when you don’t give effort for a ball, and that’s changed our mindset to go for everything. Don’t give up on anything. Even if you don’t think you can get it, try. That’s been driving us.”
SLU also gets a pair of big reinforcements in 5-foot-10 setter Abby Lovell and 6-foot middle hitter Sami Vierk. The seniors transferred from Northern Michigan University, which is also a Division II program, in January after being all-conference selections last year.
“I brought them in in January, so they’ve had a whole semester with our system,” Cibrone said. “I wouldn’t bring them in for just one year, because it’s too much to get used to. They’re doing a great job. The spring really helped them, and they’re both starting. Sami has had 13 kills and one error on 20 attempts, so a hitting percentage of .600.
“Abby setting is huge for us,” Cibrone continued. “I expect to do some things now that we have another great quarterback. I think we have the hitters now, we just needed the setter to get them the ball.”
Lovell said the team was very welcoming, which made it easy for her to focus on learning the Lions’ high-tempo offense.
“We’re definitely a faster offense, and we like our setter to be aggressive by dumping the ball over to get kills for us,” Cibrone said. “We usually run a unique style where our outsides hit faster stuff with quick attacks, what middles usually hit. It usually stuns people because they’re used to the conventional offense.”
Northern Michigan made the NCAA Tournament the last three seasons, and the transfers have no desire to break their string of postseason appearances.
“I’m definitely expecting to make it back this year,” Lovell said. “We have high goals of a national championship. You have to aim that high if you want to get there, but you can only win one point at a time.”
A tournament trip would be a first for many of the Lions.
Donovan redshirted in 2009, which gave her a front row seat at tournament play.
“That season was unbelievable,” Donovan said. “I got to come in as a freshman and train with them. Even though I wasn’t playing, it was the biggest learning experience. The fact that some of us are still around from then lets us know what tournament play is like.”
The chance at tournament play and conference gold were two of the reasons Doehrmann chose to wear Saint Leo gear.
“Everything is great about the school, and then you have the previous years of being a conference champion kind of intrigued me to,” Doehrmann said. “I wanted to potentially help bring them another conference championship and to make it into the tournament.”
The Lions open conference play at home Sept. 21 and 22 against Barry and Lynn universities at 7 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively.
