Youthful spikers optimistic about next step
Campus Times
September 18, 1998
In his first year as head coach of the University of La Verne women's
volleyball team, Don Flora replaces Jim Pascal, who retired after 25 years
of coaching. Paschal won two national championships as the head coach. Flora's
team has six returning players and seven new players. From left to right
sophomore Kim Bell (#8), Assistant Coach Randi Winn, Flora, junior Isa Lose
(#13), freshman Jessica DeHorta (#3), and freshman Andrea VanWilligan. Flora
has been the assistant women's coach 1993-97 and was the head men's coach
from 1994-1997.
The 1998 University of La Verne women's volleyball team wants to take
the next step -- win the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(SCIAC) championship and compete on the national level.
"We need to compete at an intense level, and find athletes who
have a passion for competing," said head coach Don Flora, who tried
to develop this by encouraging workouts in the summer.
The team advanced to the NCAA West Regional finals before losing to
UC San Diego last season.
"We have to be in shape," said outside hitter Lynsey Best,
lone senior on the team. "We don't have as much time for preparation
as the other teams do."
La Verne has already played in two tournaments, Whittier and Colorado
College, which was played last weekend. On day one of that tournament, ULV
defeated Howard Payne 15-1, 15-4 and 15-10.
The Leopards were led by sophomore outside hitter Amy Brummel, who had
five service aces in the first match, while Best had a 12 kill, eight dig
performance.
La Verne went on to take on the host team, Colorado College, and lost
in five sets. On day two, La Verne lost to Franklin and Marshall, 12-15,
15-2, 15-13 and 15-9. Junior Sarah Henry and Brummel had 13 kills apiece
in the Leopards' losing effort.
La Verne bounced back to beat Howard Payne again in straight sets, 15-6,
15-9 and 15-9, to earn third place in the tournament. Best was the only
Leopard to earn an all-tournament honor.
The role of leadership on this year's team falls on the shoulders of
Best and a balanced group of juniors.
"Lynsey leads by example, in action and in production," Flora
said. "We have six returning juniors, four who start, who need to step
up and help Lynsey out with the leadership role."
Flora said the team goals are to "win conference and compete highly
in the national playoffs." Best agrees with her coach and said, "We
need to go a step further in the playoffs."
La Verne has a few new faces to the team. Michelle Louie, a transfer
from West Valley Junior College in northern California, and Andrea VanWilligan,
a freshman from Upland, lead the new class of La Verne spikers. Jessica
DeHorta, Adriana Contreas, Pamela Hunnicutt and Diane Williams round out
the freshman class.
Flora sees his team as one of the top two teams in SCIAC along with
Cal Lutheran. In the first two weeks, Flora feels the Leopards have "come
a long way, and we have been jelling as a team, but we have a long way to
go and a lot of room for improvement."
"We are in the hardest region in the country. We have UCSD, Colorado
College and Cal Lu," Flora said, "and they have filled their gaps."
Flora also knows that recruiting will be better next year.
"We are going to recruit athletes who can play volleyball,"
he said, "and who can compete at a high level."
