After the most successful season in program history in 2012, the Creighton volleyball team is back on the court and looking to build on that success in 2013.
Returning four starters and the team’s libero, the Jays were picked in the preseason top 25 for the first time in school history.
“I think it’s a testament to the group last year, honestly,” head coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth said about the preseason ranking at Creighton’s fall media day. “We hope to be in the top 25. I think it adds some pressure but I think that’s the position that you want to be in.”
The Bluejays, who opened the season at No. 25 before jumping up to No. 19 with a strong opening weekend, were picked to win the Big East in their first year in the conference.
“I think we’ve got really good offensive firepower, Michelle Sicner is a phenomenal setter … I think we’ve got some new kids that will help out, and then our backcourt defense we think is going to be a strength,” Booth said.
Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Kelli Browning returns at middle blocker. Browning was a force on both defense and offense last year, tying for first in the nation in blocks and finishing second in the MVC in hitting at 0.370. The junior was named Big East Preseason Co-Player of the Year and an All-Big East First Teamer by the coaches.
Joining her on the All-Big East First Team is sophomore outside hitter Melanie Jereb. Last season Jereb became the first Creighton freshman to be named First Team All-MVC. Like Browning, Jereb is a two-way player, finishing third on the team in both kills and digs in her first collegiate season.
Rounding out the trio of preseason All-Big East First Team Bluejays is junior outside hitter Leah McNary. McNary was an All-MVC Second Team pick a year ago who used her massive vertical leap and powerful swing to lead the Jays in kills with 376.
Kate Elman returns for her sophomore season at libero. As a freshman, Elman set a record with 617 digs (third in Creighton history, first for a freshman) and led the team in both digs and aces.
With the graduation of MVC Player of the Year Megan Bober, sophomore Michelle Sicner slides back over to her natural position at setter. Sicner played as a right side hitter all of last year, but two games into her junior year she has showed the setter position is in good hands.
“Megan Bober was an awesome player for us and I think she really started something special here,” Browning said. “Michelle Sicner is an awesome setter as well. For as great as Bober was, I really don’t think we’re going to miss a beat.”
Junior Katie Neisler, sophomore Lizzy Stivers and sophomore Ashley Jansen all return at defensive specialist. Neisler played little early in the season but came on strong late, starting the first six games in October. The Jays were 12-1 with Neisler in the starting rotation. Stivers saw most of her action as a serving specialist, finishing third on the team in aces per set at 0.18. As a true freshman, Jansen opened the season in the starting rotation and started nine games over the course of the season.
Savannah Smith heads into her junior season as a reserve at middle blocker.
One redshirt freshman and three true freshmen join this year’s team as well.
Lauren Smith redshirted last season but has stepped into the starting middle blocker role alongside Browning that was vacated by the graduation of Heather Thorson.
“I had a lot of fun last year on the scout side, but I’m really excited this year to be able to play and to prove myself,” Smith said.
“I have big shoes to fill, but with Kellie [Browning’s] help and the coaches, I can’t wait.”
Outside hitter Jess Bird was a highly-rated high school recruit who has made an instant impact with a big splash in her collegiate debut. Setter Kenzie Crawford and defensive specialist Amanda Foje round out the newcomers.
The Jays opened their season this past weekend at the Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by Bowling Green University. Creighton squared off against then No. 13 Brigham Young University on Friday afternoon before taking on the host school Saturday morning.
The Jays got off to a slow start against BYU, falling behind 12-4 early on before losing the first set 25-22. Creighton took control in the second set, however, winning 25-20. The Jays continued to get better and better, winning the third set 25-19 and closing the Cougars out in four sets with a 25-15 victory.
“We had a very nervous first game,” Booth said. “… We settled down. BYU is a great team and I thought we played better out of system than they did and were fortunate to get the win.”
Sicner nearly recorded a triple-double in her first game back at setter with 43 assists, 16 digs and 8 kills on 0.438 hitting. She led a balanced and potent attack with three players in double-figures in kills for a team that hit 0.308 overall.
Bird set a Creighton record and led all players with 14 kills in her collegiate debut. She also chipped in 12 digs to finish with a double-double.
“I told Michelle [Sicner] to be prepared for Jess to fall apart potentially,” Booth said. “You have a freshman that’s a lot of load for us and she didn’t. She played like a junior or senior out on the court with great confidence.”
McNary recorded 12 kills and Jereb finished with 11 kills and 15 digs.
The Cougars are the highest ranked opponent the Bluejays have beaten, and they did it in impressive fashion by winning every statistical category across the board.
Creighton carried that momentum over to the next morning against Bowling Green and took care of the Mid-American Conference favorites in three sets. Although the Jays won in a sweep, it was no easy victory as all three sets came down to the wire.
Set one was tied up at 23-all before
Creighton pulled away on kills by McNary and Bird for a 25-23 win.
Set two was knotted at 24-all after the Jays shook off a slow start and pulled out a hard- fought 26-24 victory.
The final set saw Bowling Green battle back from an early deficit, take a late lead and come within one point of victory. However, the Jays showed their resiliency, fighting back to take a 25-24 lead. Bowling Green tied the set at 25 apiece before Creighton scored the final two points to finish off the sweep. McNary led the Jays in their late surge, recording three kills during the push while Bird chipped in a double- block with fellow freshman Smith as well as the game-clinching kill.
The Bowling Green match … could have gone either way,” Booth said. “It was a very, very scrappy, in-system team that we really struggled with and we were really fortunate to get a win.”
McNary led the Jays with 11 kills while Bird narrowly missed out on her second- straight double-double with 10 kills and nine digs. Browning and Smith combined for 18 kills on just 33 swings in the middle, and Browning also finished with 10 blocks. Jereb led the Jays with 15 digs, while Sicner finished with a game- high 38 asssists.
Sicner was named tournament most valuable player, while Browning and Smith joined her on the all-tournament team. Sicner’s play also earned her Big East Player of the Week honors as she managed to record 10 or more assists in all seven sets she played in over the weekend.
The wins marked No. 300 and 301 for Booth in her collegiate career, with 189 of them coming at Creighton.
Creighton returns home this weekend to host the Bluejay Invitational. The tournament kicks off for the Jays at D.J. Sokol Arena on Friday at 6 p.m. against Northern Colorado University. The Jays also play the University of South Florida on Saturday at noon and finish up against the University of California-Berkley at 7:30 p.m.