Setting an example: For Journal Player of the Year Monica Ashburn, fun and work intermingle

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

All-Journal Volleyball Player of the Year Monica Ashburn has fun when she plays volleyball for Buffalo Lake-Hector; and everybody who watches her play has fun as well.

Distinct facial expressions emphasize her accurate plays as she sometimes jumps for a quick set or slides across the floor to set from her knees.

The All-State player's efforts have not been in vain. With pounding hitters on her team, she has been able to accumulate 2,340 career set assists. The amount of set assists for 2003 -- 942 -- may seem incredible, considering that her team allowed only one match to go to five games.

And she doesn't take a lot of the credit herself; her teammates, especially their dominating hitters, get most of Ashburn's credit.

"We had six strong players on the court, so I can put the ball anywhere," she said. "Even when I do get bad passes, we can work with it -- I don't have to force it anywhere. Our timing was good this year; it was a combination of me and the hitters -- we all improved a lot from last year."

And she also gives credit to the strong volleyball tradition at BLH.

"We always have strong programs," Monica Ashburn said. "Part of it is that Ms. Alstrom is a good coach, and people are willing to work hard for her.

"They [coaches] are the ones going to motivate you," she said. "If you go into practice thinking it's not going to be any fun, it's tough to get through the season. It's tough to give 100 percent in practice when you don't want to be there."

And BLH volleyball teams, it seems, have more than their share of fun. The student managers of the team, Bailey Rettmann and Scott Nelson, started off wearing jeans in the playoffs, and as the team kept winning, they added pieces of formal wear until they were decked out in full tuxedos at the state tournament.

For Monica Ashburn, her success seems to be part the result of fun and part hard work -- and much of the time for her, those seem to overlap.

"[Her success is] partly her God-given talent, but it's mostly her work ethic," BLH coach Susan Alstrom said. "It's something she enjoys doing, so she works hard at it.

"And that's contagious," she added. "It's hard not to have a setter who works hard and not give her the ball."

The ace setter for the Mustangs does not stop when she gets her job done. Monica Ashburn also had 110 total kills this year, as well as 30 ace blocks, 40 ace serves and 138 digs.

To get to a point at which the senior could say she has 2,340 career set assists, 259 kills, 94 ace blocks and 86 aces, serving 94 percent, Monica Ashburn spent a lot of time playing with her sisters.

Younger sister Leah is a dominating sophomore middle hitter for BLH this year, and older sister Lindsey plays volleyball for St. Cloud State. Monica Ashburn and her younger sister Leah Ashburn were home for only a couple weeks this summer, as they traveled to St. Cloud, South Dakota, North Dakota, Omaha, Neb. and the University of Minnesota for camps. And in their other spare time, the girls often make the trip up to St. Cloud to practice with their older sister, Lindsey Ashburn, who plays for St. Cloud State.

"Lindsey had incredible work ethic too," Alstrom said. "They all have the same kind of work ethic. They work at it because they like it."

For the Ashburns, it is more like play than work.

"[At home], when we got bored, we'll go outside and play," Monica Ashburn said. "Lindsey would have us pass up and down the stairs inside. My mom wasn't always happy about that."

Now, she is looking forward to playing volleyball with her sister at St. Cloud State next year.

"It will be different, a big adjustment; the game is a lot faster in college," Monica Ashburn said. "It would be harder if I didn't have a sister there."

Until then, she will be working on using her left hand more to become more versatile, and surely having fun while doing it.

All-Journal First Team

Middle Hitters

Leah Ashburn (10), BLH

Just this season, the younger Ashburn sister pounded down 380 kills and 88 ace tips for 468 total kills. She also had 66 ace blocks. Her impressive 95 percent serving allowed her to get17 ace serves. She made the All State-tournament team, and was Tomahawk all-conference. She also has 700 career kills as a sophomore, with 87 ace blocks and 155 digs.

Leah Burgstahler (12), BLH

Burgstahler was also a powerhouse hitter with 388 total kills -- 332 kills and 56 ace tips, with 69 ace blocks. This all-state athlete's accuracy in serving was 96 percent and had a team-high 43 ace serves this year. She also contributed140 digs and was chosen Tomahawk all-conference. In her career, Burgstahler reached 1,000 kills and had 204 ace blocks. Her accurate serving allowed her to have 115 ace serves.

Krista Armbruster (11), St. Mary's

This two-year starter for the Knights had 280 total kills this year, and 509 career kills. The Knight team MVP also had 25 ace blocks to make 93 career blocks. She was chosen Tomahawk all-conference.

Jessie Goblirsch (12), Comfrey

Goblirsch was an all-around player for Comfrey. Not only was Goblirsch a middle hitter who had 254 kills this season, but she also was a setter with 265 ace assists. Serving above 90 percent, she accumulated 354 points and 44 ace serves. She also had was 96 percent accurate on her serve receive. Goblirsch holds school records with 148 career service aces, 672 points and 572 ace assists. She also has 452 career kills and was chosen to the Red Rock all-conference team.

"[She was] our team leader in almost every area -- a coach on the floor," Comfrey coach Bruce Streseman said.

Setters

Lindsey Kiecker (11), GFW

With 654 set assists, Kiecker led the Thunderbirds and area setters. She also was 97 percent on serving and had 118 digs.

Kristi Schieffert (12), Sleepy Eye

A balanced player, Schieffert had 602 set assists and115 total kills, with 36 ace blocks. She was also 96 percent accurate in serving, with 113 service points and 22 ace serves. She also had 266 digs.

"She is a great leader and role model for the younger players," Indian coach Kris Bloedel said. "She is not only a great setter, but is able to hit the ball as well; she sees the court well and will put the all in the other team's weak areas for tip kills."

Amanda Helget (12), St. Mary's

Helget, a co-captain, holds school record for career set assists at 1,322. She reached 1,000th assist this year when she had 555 set assists. She had 32 ace serves (98 percent serving) and129 digs. She was also chosen to the 2002 and 2003 Tomahawk all-conference teams.

Outside Hitters

Jessie Zuhlsdorf (11),

Sleepy Eye

Zuhlsdorf is the record-holder at Sleepy Eye for ace kills in a match and in a season. This year, she had 243 total kills, 31 ace blocks and 35 ace serves. In her career, she has 269 total career kills, 71 ace serves and 369 digs -- 220 of those digs came this year. She was named to the Tomahawk all-conference team.

"Jessie can hit the ball as hard as anyone in the area; when she hits the ball, there is some authority behind it," Indian coach Kris Bloedel said.

Kelsey Black (12), MVL

Hard-hitting Black was unanimously named to the 2003 all-Tomahawk team. She also broke the school record with 417 career kills, and is sixth all-time at MVL with 376 digs. This year, she had 219 total kills, 161 service points, 34 ace serves and 200 digs.

Lindsey Kahle (11),

Sibley East

The Wolverines MVP had 178 kills this year, 36 service aces and 144 digs. She was also the team leader in with her serve receive accuracy and was named to the Minnesota River all-conference team.

"Despite being relatively small, Lindsey was not intimidated and rose to the occasion against the best teams," Sibley East coach Chip Wolverton said. "She is extremely athletic and quick, hustles like crazy and has a tremendous vertical leap."

Krystal Schwanke (MH) Springfield

Ashley Busch (MH) GFW

Jessica VanLoy (MH) Wabasso

Charlotte McMullen (MH) Sleepy Eye

Katie Schumacher (MH) Wabasso

Nikki Fischer (S) Cathedral

Rachel Kirckof (S) Sibley East

Raina Walter (OH) St. Mary's

Nicki Flygare (OH) MVL

Allie Deibele (OH) Sleepy Eye

Melissa Plaetz (OH) Wabasso

Nikki Black (OH) GFW