New Ulm Cathedral Volleyball team working together for success

By ANDY ROGERS

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- Quickness, brains, skills, leadership and chemistry were the words surrounding New Ulm Cathedral's practice Wednesday morning as they prepare for the 2002 season.

The team is looking to improve on last year's unsuccessful run recordwise despite what others might see as limitations.

"This is probably the shortest team I've ever coached at Cathedral," coach Karan Whitmyer said.

The Tomahawk Conference should provide some competitive outings for Cathedral with Sleepy Eye St. Mary's, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, Buffalo Lake-Hector and others shooting for the conference crown.

"A lot of them are a lot taller than us," senior Liesl Genelin said. "We're pretty short this year, but we're not using that as an excuse."

Coach Whitmyer echoes Genelin's remarks and would like the team to use their strengths to their advantage to overcome their height disadvantage.

"We're going to have to be a smart team because we're short," Whitmyer said. "But we're quick. We've got to make that work to our advantage. Because quickness can take the place of other things that we might be lacking."

"We're going to be short, sassy and smart," senior Katie Gieseke said. "That's our theme this year."

Veteran leadership will play a big part as the squad enters the 2002 season.

Cathedral doesn't have many players to replace on the varsity volleyball team this year, but the holes to fill are key ones.

The Greyhounds lost three seniors to graduation in 2002. Setter Kristin Beranek, Prairie Hady and Jessica Lewis all graduated.

Beranek will be replaced by Nikki Fischer, who learned a lot from last years starter. Beranek led the team in set assists with with 360 in 2001. Fischer had 127 set assists and and 80 serving points last year, so she not far behind.

"(Fischer's) training year was last year," Whitmyer said. "She's ready. We're really, really relying on Nikki. She had a good teacher last year, so I have no second thoughts about Nikki. She's ready to step up to the challenge."

Two people are will probably split time as the season continues for Hady's old spot who led the team with 90 ace spikes.

"It's kind of undecided," Whitmyer said.

And junior Melissa Kraus will step in for Lewis "with ease" according to Whitmyer.

"Basically we have four solid starters," Whitmyer said. "It's the other two positions I'm waiting for someone to step up for. "

The four starters include Nikki Fischer, Kraus, Gieseke and Genelin. First-year junior Kiley Hilleshiem will fill the other setting position.

As for the rest of the lineup, freshman Toni Hall has been a surprise for the Greyhounds.

"She has a lot to learn, but she's willing to learn,"Whitmyer said. "The skills are there and I wouldn't want her around any other group of kinds. It's a big jump from eighth grade to varsity."

Junior Julie Seifert will take on a jack-of-all-trades role with the team.

"She's pretty flexible in her skills," Whitmyer said. "She can play outside. She can play back row. She's a pretty good server. She's extremely quick. She's got a pretty good vertical. She's going to help out a lot."

Barbara Johnson is one of the girls up for the middle-hitting position along with Hall. She expected to play a big role for the team as well.

Also junior Katie Moeller will see spot duty on the year.

"The juniors this year have a lot of spunk to them and we have great chemistry -- we all get along well," Gieseke said.

So far, Whitmyer said, the team has looked great in practices showing they have good chemistry and teamwork.

"We're really looking a Liesl and Gieseke -- all the seniors -- to use their experience," Whitmyer said. "They work hard and it rubs off and that's how you want your season to be. The three seniors are tremendous -- I can't say enough about them-- how welcoming they are, helpful, encouraging. Yet at the same time they're critical if they need to be."

"We know how it is to be a junior in their spot," senior Gieseke said. ""We don't give up -- we encourage players."

Last year the team finished the season 5-16 overall and 2-7 in the conference, which is something the team would like to improve on.

"As a coach of course I'd like to improve on the record. Our motto is kind of 'give it all you got,'" Whitmyer said. "(The players) aren't real hung up on wins and losses. They don't come up and say we want to win 15 or 10 matches. They're pretty focused and keep things in perspective."

In true leadership form, the seniors had plenty of encouraging words for the season and the team.

"We're going to try and be better than last year," Gieseke said.

"We have more experience this year," senior Danielle Fischer said. "And more of a positive attitude going into this year."

"I think we'll jell better this year -- more supportive," Genelin said. "I think we're more talkative this year -- we're all friends here."

Regardless of the season's outcome, Whitmyer knows the season will be fun for the team.

"They really enjoy volleyball -- it's fun for them," Whitmyer said. "If you get along that's real helpful. Rather than dreading to come, they look forward to it.

"They have a passion for the game and you can't ask for anything more that that."