Page five of the No. 23 LSU volleyball team’s 2007 media guide has the definition of “progression” printed in the middle of the page in bold, black lettering.
That definition fittingly summarizes coach Fran Flory’s nine seasons at LSU. She inherited a team that went winless in Southeastern Conference play in 1997 and has since posted six winning seasons, including back-to-back western division championships in 2005 and 2006.
The lineup Flory put on the court for much of the 2006 season was one filled with experience and knowledge of the quick-hitting offense the Tigers have become accustomed to in recent years.
The skill of middle blocker Melody Clark, libero Kassi Mikulik and setter Daniela Romero was one of the major contributing factors in LSU’s 26-6 overall record and NCAA Tournament appearance this past season.
But things are much different now for Tigers. Even with only one senior on the squad, defensive specialist Michelle Hensgens, the roster still boasts players who produced for LSU last season.
The team’s top-three kill leaders, junior outside hitters Marina Skender and Kyna Washington and sophomore middle blocker Lauren DeGirolamo, all return. DeGirolamo said the time the team spent together in the spring provided the veterans with a chance to get acclimated to the new players before the season began.
“The freshman came in really prepared, really in shape,” she said. “It’s just going to take a little while to get used to our system and how we play.”
Sophomore Brittnee Cooper, who played in 35 games in 15 matches last season, also returns to the squad this year. In addition to the seniors, LSU lost would-be senior Vanessa Freeman and would-be sophomore Alaina Klarquist, who chose not to return to the team because of graduation and injury, respectively.
The Tigers biggest question marks are at the libero and setter positions. The now-departed Romero started four seasons at setter and left second in career assists in LSU history, while Mikulik set the Tigers’ single-season dig mark last season with 535 digs.
Junior Elena Martinez started at libero all three games of this past weekend’s Mizuno Tiger Classic, while sophomore Maggie Lonergan and freshman Baton Rouge native Brittney Johnson split time at setter.
Flory said she does not anticipate on having a starting lineup set in stone until at least the beginning of their SEC schedule, which starts Sept. 12 against Ole Miss
“We’re not finished at all,” Flory said. “We have a lot of young players, and we need to create opportunities to see what they do in match-type situations. The freshmen are going to take a little while.”
Friday marked the first time since 1993 the Tigers began the season ranked in the AVCA/CSTV Coaches Poll. A preseason poll by SEC coaches picked LSU to finish second in the western division behind Alabama.
Those lofty expectations may seem a little much for a team with eight freshmen and sophomores, but Flory said she thinks the team was a little disappointed they were not picked first in the western division.
“They expect to succeed,” Flory said. “They expect to play at a very high level compete with anybody on the other side of the net, and that’s the turn in our program recently. We just have a different mental attitude.”
The young Tigers have already been pushed to the limit this season. LSU kicked off its 2007 campaign this past weekend and after sweeping both New Orleans and Louisiana-Monroe 3-0, the Tigers endured a grueling five-game victory Saturday night against St. Louis.
Cooper and Skender were named to the Mizuno Tiger Classic All-Tournament team, and DeGirolamo, who posted 34 kills in the three-game tournament, was named Most Valuable Player.
“This weekend was exactly what we needed to start the season,” Flory said. “We got pressured against a very good St. Louis team. From our perspective it was a very good performance, but a very inconsistent performance.”
“They were so anxious to play somebody else besides themselves. It was a relief to play. Now they’ll get back in the gym and understand we have to take a step up.”
Washington said having such a large number of freshman and sophomores on the team is like starting from scratch and rebuilding the foundation that has been laid over the past two seasons.
“We’re growing, but we all know how to play volleyball,” Washington said. “[The adjustment] is not that tough, we’re just getting comfortable around each other.”
The Tigers have two more non-conference tournaments before they face the Rebels in Oxford, Miss., to start SEC play. LSU’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by an Oct. 23 matchup with Notre Dame in the PMAC.
—–Contact Tyler Batiste at [email protected]