FORT COLLINS — Teammates don’t always get along. There are times they don’t even like each other.
It’s not always personal, however. For instance, Colorado State volleyball coach Tom Hilbert knows his hitters have spent a good portion of fall camp irritated with some of their teammates on the other side of the net.
They’re just not letting balls hit the floor.
While it leads to some frustration in practice, Hilbert and the Rams know it will pay off when there is an actual opponent across the net.
Besides, deep down, it’s kind of fun for the defensive specialists, who don’t mind the boost they get from digging a ball up.
“Especially digging Marlee (Reynolds),” said sophomore Cassidy Denny. “I’m always like, ‘wow, I’m so good, I just dug Marlee and she hits over the block.’ It really does boost our confidence. I know it maybe doesn’t boost their confidence, but it definitely helps us feel good.”
Really, there’s nothing Hilbert feels better about right now than the way his team is handling the ball. It starts with libero Jaime Colaizzi and continues with Denny and junior Kaitlind Bestgen, both experienced defensive specialists. Hilbert includes honorable mention All-American Dri Culbert, who is always on the floor and never seems to take a misstep in her thinking or actions.
Last year that group combined for 1,079 digs and produced strong passing numbers to help out setter Deedra Foss. It’s a group Hilbert said is better physically, but it’s their astuteness on the court which impresses him most, saying they have a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time.
It comes from the chemistry they’ve built, fostered by assistant coach Brook Coulter.
“Brook always talks about our relationships with each other, with us and Jamie and how important it is to be on different planes so we don’t hit each other,” Bestgen said. “I think we are really good at not seeing each other but feeling each other out on the court.”
As frustrating as practice has been at times the past two weeks, Reynolds said the hitters are still getting a benefit. Every dig forces the hitters to find a way to break through a back row they know ranks with the best in the Mountain West.
“Having been playing against such a great defense like that, we’re able to kind of pull some more tools out of our tool box and figure out some different shots that maybe will work better,” Reynolds said. “I think it just helps us be smarter and maybe see the court a little bit better, figure out what shots may be a little more tricky.”
Besides, she also knows eventually they’ll all be on the same side of the net, and that too will make the hitters’ lives easier. With a strong serve-receive game, Foss is able to keep the offense in system, allowing hitters to get off more terminal swings.
It also means there’s more room for error. Reynolds said there is a confidence in that group that if a blocking assignment is missed, somebody behind them is going to do all they can to get the ball up for another attack. With the Rams adding some less experienced players to the mix, Reynolds said the back row will very much provide a calming effect.
By doing so, the tables of the practice frustration turn into an olive branch of sorts in matches that matter.
“If we are not having good receive or a defensive day, we can’t really expect the hitters to have a good day, either,” Denny said. “We have to be on every single match so our hitters can be on.”
Contact Sports Editor Mike Brohard at 970-635-3633 or mbrohard@reporter-herald.com and at twitter.com/mbrohard
