Despite ‘growing pains’
volleyball team shows improvement
PRESQUE ISLE — The University of Maine at Presque Isle volleyball team has taken its lumps this season, but coach Jay Beaulieu is still pleased with the improvement demonstrated by the squad over the past several weeks.
The Owls basically have a brand new team with only two athletes returning from a year ago. Karen Creighton, a senior middle hitter from Sussex, New Brunswick, was a Sunrise Conference all-conference selection in 2010, while Shaina Hood, a sophomore from Princeton, also is back as a reliable outside hitter for UMPI.
SHOWING IMPROVEMENT — The 2011 UMPI volleyball team returned only two players from last year’s squad, but as the season progressed their play became more competitive. Members of the team are from left, front row: Randi Kaplan, Mirandah Akeley, Shaina Hood and Karen Creighton. Back row: head coach Jay Beaulieu, Elizabeth Kofstad, Leslie Theriault, Kelsey McCollett, Samantha Roy and assistant coach Michelle Ferry.
“They have worked to improve their games while taking on leadership roles on a team that, besides them, is comprised entirely of first-year players,” Beaulieu said.
Through matches played in September, Hood led the Owls in digs with 89, while Creighton was second with 75.
The team is now 2-14 after splitting their two matches held over the weekend.
“It’s a learning process, especially with girls who come from high school programs that are a month long,” said the second-year coach. “First is just getting them used to being in a NCAA Div. III sport, then it is coming to practice every day and being in shape.
“Just recently we have developed where I want us to be. I think what they worried about [early on] was being able to understand the positions and being able to switch and really understand what it’s all about. I think at this point they have accomplished that goal.
“Now it’s ‘OK, how can I take my position and improve on it,’” he added.
Randi Kaplan, a freshman from Embden, joined the UMPI squad with virtually no background in the sport and has been charged with learning the role as setter.
“Not a lot of people realize that the setter is like the quarterback and for someone that doesn’t come from a volleyball background, it’s tough to get that chemistry going,” Beaulieu explained. “Fortunately, Shaina has become a consistent outside hitter where she can pretty much hit wherever the set is. That makes the setter happy and makes them someone to rely on.”
Despite “some expected growing pains” that go along with learning the position, according to Beaulieu, Kaplan leads the Owls in assists with 89.
Other team members, all freshmen, are Mirandah Akeley of Fort Fairfield, Elizabeth Kofstad of Presque Isle, Kesley McCollett of Bowdoin, Leslie Theriault of Enfield and Samantha Roy of Van Buren.
Both Kofstad and Roy were key contributors in Saturday’s win over Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
UMPI went its first eight matches without taking a single game, but they earned their first victory of the season in mid-September over Unity and have also pushed a few other recent matches into a fifth set.
The Owls next play doubleheaders Oct. 15 and 16 at UM-Farmington, with UM-Fort Kent and Lyndon State of Lyndonville, Vt. other schools taking part.
Matches at UM-Machias Oct. 22 and at SUNY-Canton Oct. 29 and 30 also loom prior to the USCAA Championships Nov. 3-5.
