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The University of Utah Athletics
Volleyball Heads Into Fall After Solid Spring
5/9/2006 12:00 AM | Volleyball
May 9, 2006
SALT LAKE CITY - Rarely does anyone hear a head coach say winning is secondary. But, it is when major gains are made in the offseason, priming a team for the rigors of its upcoming fall season.
And so it was for head coach Beth Launiere and her University of Utah volleyball team this past spring. The Utes got back to basics this past offseason and built a solid foundation for the upcoming 2006 docket.
"We won a lot but that was secondary to what we accomplished on the court," noted the veteran head coach. "We just got better at the fundamentals that we really didn't have the time to work on last fall."
The Utes finished 23-9 last year and powered its way through the Mountain West Conference right into the NCAA Tournament. Utah won five of its last seven games, including a victory over the No. 21-ranked Brigham Young Cougars.
The 2005 campaign came to an end in the NCAA's postseason tourney. After a 3-0 first-round win over Loyola Marymount, the Utes dropped a hard-fought, second-round match to No. 6-ranked Arizona.
"We worked on our physical strength and our endurance as well," said Launiere. "That was an area where we made some of our biggest improvements. We play in a very physical, very intense league and we had to become more physical to play in our conference and beyond."
Launiere's squads brandish a defensive style of play, and that hasn't been more evident than in 2005. Last year's team ranked third in the nation in blocking (3.61 per game). With Emillie Toone and Lori Baird returning, and Connie Dangerfield back from a medical redshirt, the defense looks to be on solid footing again.
But, last year, serving and passing was an issue from time to time. An essential part of the game, the passing and serving game was also an area of focus last spring.
"Our serving and passing was something we worked on a lot this past offseason," Launiere said. "I think that our blocking was solid last year and it continues to be a strength. So, we focused on passing and on our outside game."
About the only part of the team that will look different in 2006 is its senior class, or its lack there of. With that element of the team absent, its up to the returning players to not only seek out experience but to step up and lead the Utes.
"Without any seniors on this year's team, it's important that we get strong leadership from our underclassmen," remarked Launiere. "And, I think we got that. We're a team that plays as one. We're all on the same page in terms of what we hope to accomplish this year.
"We're happy with the solid foundation that we laid in our offseason workouts. We're a young team and as each player matures, the better our team will be."
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