Setter Lindsey Stone was the CCC Player of the Year in 2007.
All-Americans Lead SOU Volleyball in 2008
ASHLAND, Ore. -- One season and five graduates removed from a 26-6 record that resulted in a share of the conference title, Josh Rohlfing and his Southern Oregon University volleyball team are ready to make another run at the NAIA national tourney.
Their run begins this weekend when the 12th-ranked Raiders host the inaugural Raider Classic featuring Oregon Tech, Simpson University and, last year’s NAIA National Champion and current NAIA No. 1, Fresno Pacific.
Fresno Pacific ended 2007 with a startling 37-1 record, and Rohlfing warns that Oregon Tech and Simpson have improved on squads that produced 23 and 13 wins, respectively. Still, the second-year head coach is confident his young team will make a solid first impression against some of the stiffest competition in the country.
“We’re just developing chemistry, and it’s been tough after graduating five and losing two to student exchange; those were seven primetime players,” said Rohlfing, whose team was picked second in the league’s preseason coaches poll. “Preparation’s been slow but we have some great young athletes that will show the potential of this team, which I think can be very quick and explosive.”
SOU’s new look team is highlighted by some old faces. Setter Lindsey Stone left the University of Oregon after her freshman year and returned to her hometown of Ashland and reunited with Rohlfing, her high school coach. The result was Cascade Conference Player of the Year and All-American honors for Stone and the top conference coaching award for Rohlfing.
Stone, now a junior, will now be looked upon to take a bigger leadership role.
“Her sister (Emily) was the general last year, but this year it’s been easy for her to take the reigns,” said Rohlfing of Stone, who led the league in assists last year at 12.75 per game. “She feels a lot more comfortable because she is a lot more solid and set on being here, and the team wants to follow her so it’s easy for her to lead.”
Senior Mia Wortel, a 5-11 middle blocker, comes into this year after consecutive stints on the All-Conference team. She landed on the All-American team in 2007 after compiling the league’s top hitting percentage (.362), and finished fourth in kills (3.51 per game) and blocks (1.06 per game)
Despite her already lofty resume, Rohlfing recognizes Wortell as the team’s most improved player since last Fall.
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“She was already at a very high level,” added Rohlfing, “but she has adapted her game to be more proficient on defense and to attack in a number of different ways.”
Of his newcomers, Rohlfing expects freshmen Sarah Holgen and Megan Bartling to make an immediate impact as starters. Holgen, another Ashland High product and defector from the University of Oregon, did not compete last season but helped her prep team to a State Championship as a junior and was an All-State selection as a senior outside hitter. The 6-1 Bartling earned All-Conference recognition at North Medford last year.
“Both of these players will give us more physicality than we’ve had in the past,” said Rohlfing of the pair. “They’re two very long players, so they’ll give us some help at the net.”
The Raiders will also depend on freshman Becky Johnstone for help defensively and will look to sophomore outside hitter Samantha Yutzie to improve on the 223 kills she tallied last season in 27 starts.
Southern Oregon will open with Simpson at 2 p.m. on Friday and will tangle with Fresno Pacific at 7:30 p.m.