Knights set, kill recordsMLC looks for team success against BLC

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- Rachel Meyer and Emily Buck are modest about their accomplishments.

The sophomore outside hitter and setter for the Martin Luther College volleyball team each broke school records this season, but neither take a whole lot of credit for it, instead focusing on their matchup with Bethany Lutheran College in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference tournament Saturday.

"That combination of setter and outside hitter, with the records they set, they've put up some nice numbers," Drew Buck said. "The records that were set are some good numbers that make you wonder if, in your lifetime, anyone even would be close."

Rachel Meyer set the record for kills in a single season this year, surpassing Cindy Evers, who set the record in 1996 at 391. Meyer has 417 already this season.

"I'm very honored. I'm just happy to be able to do it," Meyer said. "It was a goal in the beginning of the season, but I wanted to be able to help out the team first, to do my best for them ... then if they [individual goals] come, that's great."

However, what Meyer won't tell you is that she did all of this in pain, struggling with an injured back all season. In one doctor's opinion, Meyer shouldn't even be playing volleyball anymore. But after getting a second opinion, Meyer was given the go-ahead to play, although she would have to play through the pain.

And that she did, also knocking Evers off for record kills in a match, with 28.

"With Emily setting to her, of course there was the possibility of her getting the record on the other end, setting to a hitter like Rachel," Drew Buck said.

Emily Buck eclipsed the record of 723 set assists in a season by nearly 400 ... and counting. Going into the Knights matches at Waldorf College, Buck has 1,117 set assists, nearly as many as she and Emma Babinec totaled together last year (1,239), but it's not something she keeps an eye on.

"It's just never crossed my mind -- we're just playing," Emily Buck said. "One of my teammates came up to me and told me congratulations and I said, for what?"

One reason emily Buck isn't making a big deal about setting the record is that she has her eyes on another goal. In 2000, when Emily Hahnke set the record at 723, the Knights played with two setters, splitting the set assist stats. Now, Emily Buck is the lone setter for MLC. Coach Buck explained that what Emily Buck feels would be more of an accomplishment would be to set the record at what the two setters' stats would have been together.

Buck said she owes a lot to the team's improved passing, and of course to having good, consistent hitters, because "you can't have assists without kills."

Meyer echoed the sentiment when she explained that her record was a total team effort.

"I'm the one who gets the record ... but without the passers and setter, I'm absolutely useless," Meyer said. "With the support from the bench to the floor to coach Buck, with their positive encouragement and attitude, it's total team cooperation."

The Knights (16-13) will need to rely on that cooperation when they face BLC for the third time this season.

MLC can also count on Beth Bertolus and Tiffany Wendt, who each have 221 kills this season. Wendt also has 50 ace blocks on the year, while Katie Bertolus has 30. Beth Bertolus and Bethany Bauer lead the team with 98 percent serving and in digs, with 309 and 516, respectively.

In both previous matchups, the Vikings won 3-1, but the Knights played better the second time around. Coach Buck believes that with extra study of game tapes and strategizing, the Knights can do even better.

"We played well against them last time, so we hope to improve on that," Emily Buck said. "[We'll need to] get up a big block and frustrate them, play our game, and not let them intimidate us."

MLC plays at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato.

Jen Seavey can be reached at jseavey@nujournal.com