Behrend Volleyball 2008 Season Preview

The 2008 Behrend Lions volleyball team returns five starters from last year's squad and looks to blend that experience with a talented freshman class for a title run this season.  After three straight seasons of competing in the AMCC Championship match, the 2007 Behrend team bowed out in the conference semifinals.  The blue and white earned a share of the AMCC regular season title with an 8-1 record during conference play and finished at 18-12 overall.

Head coach Phil Pisano returns for his fifth season in charge of the Behrend Lions program.  Pisano said, "Last year we accomplished some important things with a very inexperienced squad.  Our upperclassmen gained valuable experience and we are excited to see that pay off for them this fall."

Joining Pisano on the sideline this year is fifth-year assistant coach Gerry Vensel.  Former Behrend Lion Paige Payer joins the coaching staff for the first time, while Karla Murray returns to assist with coaching duties for the second season.  

Brittany Hennessy (Hopewell/Hopewell) will be the lone senior on the 2008 team and will push to bookend her Behrend career by leading the squad to the AMCC title.  The team won the conference championship in 2005 with Hennessy as a freshman and advanced to its first NCAA Tournament.  She has been an all-conference team member as a libero in each of her three seasons for the blue and white, and enters the season with 1,662 career digs, just five digs from breaking the all-time school record. 

Three junior starters return in 2008 with their sights set on a playoff run.  Brooke Gallentine (Mt. Pleasant/Southmoreland) has racked up 2,083 assists in two seasons as a setter for the Behrend Lions.  Outside hitter Carissa Johnston (Cambridge Springs/Cambridge Springs) pounded out 295 kills a season ago while being named honorable mention all-conference.  First-team all-conference middle hitter Sheila Ogden (Grove City/Grove City) was the team's 2007 MVP after leading the squad with 315 kills and a .270 hitting percentage.

Pisano said, "Brittany, Brooke, Carissa, and Sheila are now very experienced players after having been starters and playing key roles the past few seasons.  Their ability to play at a consistently high level will be a big factor in how far this team will go.  I am excited to see how this group will lead our younger players, and eager to watch them accomplish great things on the court."

Starting middle hitter Jenna Kelly suffered an injury in the spring tournament and will miss the 2008 season, leaving two sophomores on this year's squad.  Danielle Woods (Pittsburgh/Baldwin) and Aubry Regan (Edinboro/General McLane) return for their second season with the blue and white.  Woods was the team's rookie of the year a season ago, leading the team in service aces while ranking second in digs and fourth in kills.  Regan appeared in 32 games as a freshman and will work to produce a big season as a middle or right side hitter in 2008.

Eight freshmen join the Behrend Lions in 2008 and will look to make an immediate impact on the program.  Four W.P.I.A.L. players begin their college careers, including  Kaitlyn Bianco (Aliquippa/Center), Liz Emerick (Hopewell/Hopewell), Alex Johnson (Imperial/West Allegheny), and Stef Kelley (Moon Township/Moon).  The three District 10 players who join the blue and white are Lauren Dalton (Cochranton/Cochranton), Danielle Kindle (Erie/McDowell), and Ariel Mehlenbacher (Titusville/Titusville).  The eighth freshman, Hilary Wadsworth (Randolph/Randolph Central) was on the New York All-State team a season ago.  Pisano said, "This is an outstanding group that has the opportunity to contribute quickly for our team, with the talent and potential to make a huge mark on this program in the years to come."      

A challenging schedule awaits the team in 2008 as the Behrend Lions will play at least 13 of their 20 non-conference matches against teams that won 20 or more games in 2007.  The season begins with a trip to Kentucky for the Thomas More Invitational August 30 and 31.  The following weekend the blue and white compete in the Behrend Invitational September 5 and 6 at home in the Junker Center, where the squad is 33-5 over the past three seasons.  Conference play begins September 27 at home against La Roche, during a tri-match with Thiel.  The Behrend Lions will also have two home matches televised on Image Sports, first against Fredonia on September 30 and then on October 29 versus AMCC opponent Pitt-Bradford.

The NCAA passed new rules for collegiate volleyball in the offseason, as the first four games, which are now called "sets" are played to 25 instead of 30 points.  Teams are now limited to 12 substitutions per set, down from the old limit of 15.  With these changes, matches are expected to be closer contests, with each point in the rally scoring set taking on greater importance.  Pisano said, "Teams that can let go of one mistake instead of dwelling on it will do well, as giving up a run of points in the shorter sets will be very difficult to overcome.  I like that this team has really worked on serving aggressively and looks to be one that can play solid floor defense, which should give us an opportunity to score points in bunches."

Pisano said, "Our immediate plans are to get healthy after some preseason injuries and work to grow as a team each day.  I believe the potential of this team is quite high, and I know we are all determined to reach our long term goals of battling for the league title and returning to the postseason.  The players know what it is going to take to reach our goals this fall and are anxious to begin this journey, and I am confident they are prepared to handle the challenges that await."