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Aug. 27, 2008New lineup, new offense for Central
PELLA—A new lineup will unveil a new offense as the 22nd-ranked Central College volleyball squad opens the 2008 campaign at the Wis.-Whitewater Invitational Friday and Saturday.
The Dutch take on Brockport State (N.Y.) Friday at 3 p.m. and Alma (Mich.) at 7 p.m. Saturday Central meets Bethel (Minn.) before facing the ninth-rated host school, Wis.-Whitewater, at 3 p.m. The Warhawks were the NCAA Division III national runners-up in 2007.
Central has only two starters back from last year’s 27-9 club which captured its 12th consecutive Iowa Conference crown and its 17th overall en route to a 10th NCAA playoff berth. Miranda Kouba (senior, Dubuque, Wahlert HS) was a second-team all-conference outside hitter last season and is joined again by middle hitter Lindsay Jennings (junior, Atkins, Benton HS) along with Maggie Nowicki (senior, Madison, Wis., Edgewood HS), who is in her fourth year as the team’s starting libero.
Megan Callahan (senior, Dubuque, Wahlert HS) is a seasoned backup setter and takes the reins of the offense this year. Other new starters this weekend include outside hitter Michelle Ripperger (junior, Urbandale), right-side hitter Ashley Ellingson (sophomore, West Des Moines, Valley HS) and middle hitter Sara Mouw (junior, Greene, North Butler HS).
Coach Kent Clayberg, who starts the year with a glossy 131-78 (.732) five-year record, said he’ll likely limit substitutions in the early going to allow for some continuity.
“It’s a pretty salty field,” he said. “With the level of inexperience we have and running a new offense, we need to use this time to get some rhythm generated.”
But Clayberg noted that a junior varsity tournament will also be staged at Whitewater.
“Between the two tournaments, we’ll get a chance to see a lot of players,” he said.
The Dutch won’t focus on the scoreboard this weekend.
“It’s a different system we’re running, so everybody looks different,” he said. “Sometimes they look good and at other times they don’t look as good. It’s a little bit of a crash course in competing within this system. But I don’t have any concerns about how we’ll compete. These women will compete hard. “
As always, Clayberg was energized by the preseason.
“I’ve been extremely pleased,” he said. “At every position I feel like we’ve developed very capable starters and backups.”