Second-seeded Leopards go after national title
Campus Times
April 23, 1999
Tonight, the University of La Verne men's volleyball squad will enter
the semifinal round match of the Molten Division III Invitational Championship
in hopes of competing in tomorrow's national title match. Game time is scheduled
for 6 p.m.
The No. 2 seed Leopards will play No. 3 Clarke College. The Crusaders,
the host school, will hold a home-court advantage over the Leopards.
"They have been drawing about 500 people a match at home,"
explains head coach Jack Coberly. "There will be a lot of noise and
a lot of yelling. They definitely have the home-court advantage."
Leading the Crusaders (12-14) is 6'6" junior middle blocker Scott
Schuessler who has 285 kills (.337), 41 blocks and 137 digs. Last year,
he ended the season ranked fifth nationally in kill average (5.00 kpg) and
fourth in block average (1.54 bpg).
Bill McNally is second on the team in kills with 218 (.325). The 6'3"
sophomore outside hitter, who earned Most Valuable Player honors at the
UC Santa Cruz Tournament, has made 120 digs and has 51 service aces.
For La Verne, sophomore outside hitter Alex Lienert has displayed striking
power this season, racking up 414 kills, an average of 5.67 per game.
"Alex is probably a leader in the nation, Division III, right now,"
says Coberly. "He has the physical talent and the application of that
talent.
"I don't want to put too much pressure on him but he is a large
component of our offense and our defensive schemes."
Lienert leads the team in digs (108) and has 18 recorded solo blocks
(1.10 bpg).
The player Coberly believes has improved the most is sophomore middle
blocker Jason Kolodge.
"He has never done the position and that is without a doubt the
toughest position, physically," said Coberly. "This has been a
good position change and a good position for him."
Kolodge has 172 kills and leads the team in both attack percentage (.384)
and block solos (20). He also has 89 digs, equivalent to junior outside
hitter Luis Cruz.
"If Luis Cruz is on, he brings a lot to the team," said Coberly.
"The guy has got incredible jumping ability and is really quick."
Cruz follows Lienert in kills (214) and has the second best attack percentage
(.365). He has 17 service aces and the team high in block solos (20).
Two seniors who were a part of last year's runner-up squad are outside
hitters Sean Douglas and Chris Peterson.
Peterson, who missed most of the season with a hand injury, has returned
and will compete in this weekend's event.
"Chris is finally learning to hit in a controlled manner,"
said Coberly. "A lot of our hitters want to swing as hard as they can,
but Chris is learning that his best shot is not as hard as he likes."
Sean Douglas, is described by Coberly as an "all-around player
and is consistent in all the skills." Douglas has 160 kills and 86
digs.
Starting setter junior Matt Wright has 923 assists and will compete
for his first national tournament.
The Leopards are 2-6 in away matches, but Coberly is not worried about
that. Five of those six losses have been to nationally ranked, Division
I schools.
Coberly said, "All the teams we have lost to have been to very
respected teams."
Assistant coaches Jason Flick and Coberly's son, Morgan, were a part
of last year's squad and look to direct the team to a championship.
Tomorrow's championship match is set for 6 p.m., following the consolation
match scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Fighting for a spot in the finals in the other
semifinal round match will be defending champion Juniata College (Pa.) and
D'Youville College (N.Y.)
