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Senior
Jillian Mazzarella hopes to lead the 49ers
back to the top of the Big West Conference
after a disappointing 2003 season. Matt
Brown/Sports Information
Senior
Erika Chidester was an All-Big West selection
last season as she led the 49ers with 487
kills. She reached double-digit kills 28
times in 30 matches played. The 49ers open
the season tonight at 7:30 p.m. against
Northeastern in The Pyramid. Matt Brown/Sports
Information
Women's
volleyball looks to rebound from '03 season
By
Trent Loomis
Online Forty-Niner
Managing Editor
After
a disappointing 2003 campaign riddled with
injuries, the California State University
Long Beach women's volleyball team hopes
to return to the Big West elite with a healthy
team and some new faces.
For
most schools, a 19-11 record (12-6 Big West)
would satisfy the staunchest supporters,
but this is not just any school and expectations
are never too high.
To
their credit, most of the team played hurt
all season long, which is a testament to
their will and desire.
Among
those coming off injuries is Erika Chidester
who was First Team All-Big West, averaging
4.55 kills per game while playing with decompression
on her rotator cuff. If healthy, Chidester
plans to lead The Beach's attack from the
outside this year with Robin Miramontes,
a red-shirt sophomore who has dealt with
her fair share of injuries as well.
Returning
setter Jillian Mazzarella was the most consistent
player for The Beach last year. Although
she had some nagging injuries, she brims
with confidence toward the new season.
"I
think this team will definitely do better
than last years," Mazzarella said.
"Everyone who started last year is
returning except for one."
Freshman middle blocker Alexis Crimes should
strengthen the position along with Natalie
Uhart, who posted a .325 hitting percentage
in 2003.
Although
the girls were picked to finish in a second
place tie with UC Irvine behind UC Santa
Barbara, they feel that the sky is the limit
on their success this year, especially if
they can stay healthy.
Mazzarella,
who averaged 12.58 assists per game last
year, was fourth best in the conference,
and the eighth highest single-season assist
average in program history, is counted on
to facilitate the offense.
Each
spring and summer, the coaches take each
player and focus on what they need to improve,
and for the consistent Mazzarella, it was
her approach.
"I'm
just trying to work on becoming more deceptive,
so when I'm setting, the other team doesn't
know where I'm going," Mazzarella said.
"As a team, we just worked on our skills
individually, trying to get better. Because
if we take care of our own positions, we'll
be a much better team."
The
coaching staff, one of the best in the country,
is lead again by Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro,
who is in his 20th year as head coach at
The Beach.
In
that span, Gimmillaro has won three National
Championships, has eight Final Four appearances,
13 NCAA Regional appearances and 18 NCAA
Tournaments to his credit.
In
the past eight years, CSULB has won one
national title (1998), and has appeared
in four Final Fours and six regional tournaments
while posting an incredible 237-33 record,
and an 80-16 mark over the last three seasons.
Chidester,
who has been inactive over the off-season,
credits the coaching staff with the team's
preparation for the up-coming season.
"Our
coaches are really good over the spring,"
Chidester said. "They take a specific
skill and have us work on it individually
for six weeks."
Another
returning starter is Heather Laudato, who
happens to be one of the best back row players
in the country.
Last
year Laudato compiled a team-best and new
school single-season record 438 digs, including
a career-best 29 vs. UC Santa Barbara, which
was the third most for a single match in
program history.
Sophomore
outside hitter Mariko Crum, Heather Hetzer
and defensive specialist Sara Kroneberger
all expect to see significant playing time
this season.
The
volleyball team will be featured on College
Sports Television (CSTV) as part of its
AVCA Match of the Week when they take on
their Big West Conference rivals UC Santa
Barbara on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Thunderdome.
The game will be tape-delayed and televised
on Oct. 17 at 3 p.m.
Big
West play does not begin for the 49ers until
Sept. 16 against Cal State Fullerton at
The Pyramid.
The
Beach will start the non-conference season
with the first six games at The Pyramid
before playing at the Long Beach Arena,
which might as well be considered a home
game. The first game of the season is tonight
at 7:30 p.m. against Northeastern at The
Pyramid.
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