Fall sports: Trojans aiming to take back spot atop SEC heap

Nancy Diers has always emphasized winning conference matches, and it has led to a heap of conference championships over the years.

The Fairfield volleyball team?s 37-match Southeast Conference win streak was broken last fall, and subsequently, so was the run of four-straight titles.

?First things first, we?re looking to get that conference banner back in Fairfield,? Diers said. ?We think we are still the team that always has the target on its back, and we?ll accept that challenge.?

The Trojans finished the year 6-2 in SEC play with both losses coming in five-set matches against Keokuk and eventual champion Mount Pleasant. A few points here and there could have flipped things the other way, and now in 2011, Fairfield has enough returning talent to be a strong player as always.

?We want to be sure to take everything one game at a time, but it?s within our grasp. I think it?s right there for us to get again,? said Diers.

The known quantities are most apparent on offense, where Fairfield returns more than 90 percent of its kill totals from 2010 and a crowded front line led by co-SEC Player of the Year Tori Ogden. Now a senior, Ogden is a three-year starter and put down nearly three kills per game last season.

McKenzie Lyman is also a senior and will be joined at the net by talented juniors Erin Thompson, Sydney Howard and another three-year starter Sidney Baumann. The big group makes for a good deal of versatility and should provide plenty of options for different combinations.

?The good thing and bad thing about this team is I have some players I can move around,? Diers said. ?It may take a while to find that right combination, but everyone is competing real well for some of those hitting spots.?

The left-handed Thompson figures to spend most of her time on the right side along with Howard and Baumann, who all made big strides as sophomores. Haley Williams will also see some minutes on the varsity court for the first time with Ogden and Lyman leading the way on the left side.

?All played a lot of minutes last year; now we?re looking for them to elevate their level of play and become a little more dominant,? said Diers, who led four -hour practices the first two weeks of the season. ?So far, we?ve made some good strides.?

Another big reason for the early improvement is the return of setters ? something Diers has for the first time in three years. Sophomore Sydney Burnett and senior Taylor Neil come back with experience to help the Trojans put more of an emphasis on offensive firepower than in previous years.

?Having the setters back makes things easier all the way through. They understand what my thoughts are; they both understand the offense a little better,? Diers said. ?We?re hoping we can get a bit of a quicker offense as the year progresses ? that?s the one thing we?ve trying to work on with everyone.?

The quicker offense should be a welcome sight for fans and will also give the Trojans a decreased reliance on defense with most of the defensive specialists being lost to graduation. Williams and Taylor Silvers were behind those seniors in the lineup last year, but will step to the varsity court to take those spots in 2011. Katie Anderson, Kristen Terrell and Haley Grunwald will also split time between the JV and varsity matches and could fill in on the back row when needed.

Those defenders will prove critical as the Trojans enter the daunted Southeast Conference slate and try to keep up with last year?s champ Mount Pleasant. The Panthers return a tall, powerful front line that includes Elinor Krieger-Coble and the Shull sisters Taylor and Taryne.

Mount Pleasant will be looking to replace SEC Player of the Year setter Rebekah Kimzey, but will still be aiming to be just as quick getting the ball across the net.

?I see [Mount Pleasant] as a very dynamic and good hitting team,? said Diers. ?Our hope is we?re quicker to either get a block or keep the ball alive. I think we have a quick team, and I think the will and skill is there to make us a good defensive team.?

Keokuk figures to be athletic as usual while Fort Madison and Washington should be improved from where they were a year ago.

The Trojans will get their season started with non-conference action against IMS, Albia and Eddyville-Blakesburg tonight as part of the inaugural Steve Hisel Quad. Fairfield will then open SEC play Sept. 1 at home against Mount Pleasant.