Scots Volleyball Makes Transition for 2019

by Dan Nolan

Monmouth, IL (08/28/2019) — For the first time in more than 20 years, the Monmouth College volleyball team will have a new coach calling the shots when the team opens play this fall. The transition has been a smooth one as Emily Thebeau debuts as the Fighting Scots' head coach.

"We've had a very smooth transition," praised Thebeau. "It really helped to have the spring with the team so we could get to know each other and especially for the players to learn my terminology. They're a very bright group and caught on to the new vocabulary very quickly."

Speaking of quick, Thebeau expects the team to play with a quicker pace. That's been the focus with the returning setters - senior Laura Dulee (Bloomington, Ill./U-High) and sophomore Karlie Drish (Milan, Ill./Rockridge) - as Thebeau expects a two-setter offense while getting sophomore transfer Anna Dively (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) up to speed.

"Our focus is three-fold: serve receive, playing to our strengths and speed of the sets," reported Thebeau. "We want our setters to make smart sets: who we set, when and where. Karlie is asking a lot of questions and is working hard to get better and smarter with her sets. Laura has the experience. Right now, we think we'll be in a 6-2 offense, but it's a very tight competition among the setters."

Whoever is setting will be feeding three of the top four kills leaders from a season ago. Seniors Lauren Sperry (Alexis, Ill./United) and Ashley Farris (Flanagan, Ill./Flanagan-Cornell) drilled 202 and 196 kills, respectively, just slightly ahead of 6-foot junior Riley Cook's (Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap) 184 winners. Another junior - Abby Tucker (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) - is the fourth returner with triple-digit kills last season, spiking 107. Megan Gilstrap (Farmington, Ill./Farmington) - a 5'10" sophomore - is making a move for court time after seeing action on the JV squad last fall. Freshmen Amanda Dybal (Apex, N.C./Apex) and Sarah LaHood (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) are also vying for court time.

"Lauren and Ashley have had some big swings for us on the outside," praised Thebeau. "They can definitely put some balls away. Riley, not surprisingly, is doing really well in the middle. Megan is getting more touches on the block right now and that's exactly what we need her to do. We're transitioning our blocking and the women are catching on quickly with the new technique."

On the defensive side, junior Renee Rude (Washington, Ill./Washington) returns at libero while sophomore Hannah Jones (Davenport, Iowa/West) is raising eyebrows after coming off the bench in 2018. Sophomore Loryn Beal (Pontiac, Ill./Pontiac) will likely make her varsity debut as a member of the back row after entering last season as a setter. Junior transfer Abby Teske (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) is another defensive specialist in the Scots' arsenal.

"Hannah is our six-rotation consistent player," explained Thebeau. "She's one of our main passers with Renee. Loryn has transitioned to her new position well and is coming in for Ashley (Farris) in the back. She has really scrappy touches, makes good reads and just came out of nowhere."

Among the new looks Thebeau wants to implement is a more aggressive service game. The team turned in 126 aces last season, a number the new coach would like to see rise.

"They just weren't as aggressive with their serves as I would like," admitted Thebeau. "There is a balance to strike between being aggressive and being smart. That philosophy is beginning to click. We had a ton of aces in our scrimmage and they didn't give up. If one serve was missed, they just picked it up the next time. Our aces are definitely outweighing our misses at this point."

The Scots have pleased their new coach with the quick transition they've made to not only a new coach, but new terminology, techniques and philosophy.

"The women are really embracing everything we've done, including a new competition for positions," said Thebeau. "It's a new opportunity for all of us and I believe it's raised our level of play. They work so well together I wish I could get all 18 on the court. It's a good group of kids."

The Scots won't be the only Midwest Conference team transitioning to a new coach. Half the league's teams have had coaching changes in the past year, creating a change in the landscape.

"It's a unique situation in the conference with five new head coaches," reported Thebeau. "I think it levels the playing field to a degree and is an opportunity to come out and make a statement. The key for us will be mental toughness. Last year we played four matches that went five sets and lost three of them. We have the skills, we just have to get past the fear of failure and play with confidence, especially in those close matches. It's doable, we just have to play with the confidence in our skills."