By: Mike Still, Dalhousie Athletics
It’s already become clear five games into the 2016-17 AUS conference regular season that the Tigers women’s volleyball team will be a force to be reckoned with once more.
The four-time defending conference champions returned 10 players from last year’s squad, and their experience has already paid dividends as Dalhousie is the only undefeated team in the standings after the AUS tournament held this past weekend.
“One of our goals is to obviously win the AUS and we know that’s going to be a big challenge,” says head coach Rick Scott. “Every year the conference is getting stronger and there’s several good teams. Ultimately, our goal is to be a force on the national stage and do well at the national championship.”
The Tigers are powered by a strong front court that has imposed its will on opponents early and often this season on the attack.
Outside hitter outside hitter Mieke DuMont, a member of the 2014-15 AUS all-rookie team is currently fourth in the conference in kills, with 48, while Anna Dunn-Suen, a 2015-16 AUS first team all-star in her fourth year of eligibility has 30.
The Tigers have also been paced by their versatile setters – fifth-year Abby Czenze and second-year Courtney Baker.
Czenze is tops in the conference in total assists with 168, while Baker is second overall in total points, with 66, and has amassed 57 kills so far this season.
Defensively, fifth-year libero Marisa Mota, and second-year middle hitters Lauren Koskowich and Victoria Haworth have provided quality play for a team that has lost just two sets thus far.
Mota has displayed consistent leadership and work ethic, with a conference-leading 115 digs, while Koskowich and Haworth have recorded five and four solo blocks, respectively.
Head coach Rick Scott has been pleased with his teams play early on, touching on how well-rounded the roster is.
“Our biggest strength is that we’re very balanced, and we have some depth at different positions which can really help over a long haul with injuries and even just in matches to make some changes if we need to adjust,” says Scott.
In terms of recruitment, the Tigers focused on bringing in a few different impact middle hitters in Hannah Aldcorn from Calgary and Cassandra Bagnell from Vancouver.
Aldcorn has already shown flashes of what’s to come in the future, with a .333 hitting percentage in three total games played.
With a well-rounded roster and an impressive start to the year, Scott is optimistic about his team’s ability to make an impact on the national stage, however he also acknowledges that taking the next step isn’t going to come easy.
“We’ve been to nationals the last four years and we have a lot of people that have experience and that’s another goal of ours, is to achieve that [return to nationals] and we know it’s going to take a lot of work and we’re going to have to play well, but we believe in the team that we have and that we can do something special.”