Daily Egyptian Reporter 17

Adjusting to college life can be a difficult experience for freshmen athletes, but Kathy Dulle says the SIUC volleyball team has done its best to welcome her and newcomers Molly Meeker and Audra Allen this season.

The three freshmen agree that the team’s strong unity was not one of their expectations when they arrived at SIUC.

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This team has so much fun together, Dulle, a redshirt freshman setter from Mt. Pulaski, said. In the preseason, the players played the freshmen and the coaches in a game of laser tag in the mall. I’ve never seen a team so close.

An injury suffered in high school forced Dulle to redshirt last season. She spent the entire off-season rehabilitating her right knee, which had suffered torn cartilage.

SIUC coach Sonya Locke said the year off gave Dulle a chance to learn, and she continues to develop the skills needed to become a better player.

I don’t consider Kathy a freshman, Locke said. We’ve been working on her ability to make good decisions when setting the ball.

Dulle has spent the season as a backup to sophomore setter Debbie Barr. Dulle has appeared in four matches, recording 14 assists.

But Dulle said working with a player with Barr’s talent forces her to perform well for playing time.

Debbie is a good player, Dulle said. It definitely helps to have her in practice because I’ve got to work hard.

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While Dulle has been competing against Barr for a starting spot, Allen and Meeker have been trying to make the transition from high school to college volleyball.

Allen, a freshman defensive specialist from Kansas, was a three-time All-Conference member at Kansas High School. She was named her school’s best defensive player twice, but she said the college game is an entirely new experience.

It’s a lot more intense now than it was in high school, Allen said. You have to be quicker not just on your feet, but in your mind. It’s more of a mental game now.

Allen has been competing for time at the defensive specialist position with sophomores Lenika Vazquez and Brandy Olson. In nine matches she has 37 digs, and her five service aces rank sixth on the team.

Locke said Allen has produced the most consistent numbers among the freshmen.

Audra is getting a lot of playing time, Locke said. She’s been the most consistent at passing when we use a defensive specialist in the back row.

Meeker, a middle blocker from Emden, also ran into some obstacles while trying to adjust at SIUC.

In high school, her team ran a quick offense, but, at times, SIUC uses a running-fours offense. Running-fours requires the middle blocker to be at a farther distance from the setter than in a quick offense.

Meeker said that in the beginning, she had difficulties becoming familiar with the offense, especially with Barr.

Adjusting to a new setter is [hard], because I played with my setter in high school since the fifth grade, she said. Now that I have come here, I’ve had to switch right away. For a middle blocker it’s a big deal, because our timing has to click.

Meeker recorded her first collegiate kill against Southwest Missouri State University Sept. 25.

She said that was a confidence builder because she entered the game with the scored tied at 14.

I think I’m becoming a little more comfortable, because I got put in a pressure situation, Meeker said. I was a little nervous at first because it was only my fourth or fifth game, but as the game went along, I just kind of relaxed and said I’ve got to do my job.

FACTOID:The Salukis play the University of Evansville at 7 p.m. at Davies Gymnasium.