Reloaded team begins march to NCAA tournament this weekend at Chaifetz

While the 2010-2011 Saint Louis University volleyball team may have a new look, the goal remains the same: dominate the Atlantic 10 and take a trip to the NCAA tournament.

After putting the same lineup on the floor for the past three seasons, head coach Anne Kordes finds herself in a new phase of her program. Five seniors, including four regular starters, graduated in May, leaving the Billikens (1-2) with untested talent and unanswered questions about this year’s campaign.

With Wake Forest, Creighton and Iowa all visiting Chaifetz Arena this weekend for the Marcia E. Hamilton Active Ankle Challenge, Kordes will soon find out how her squad, featuring seven freshmen, will perform under pressure from NCAA-caliber clubs.

“We can win every match we play because we are nasty competitors,” Kordes said. “Is there pressure? Absolutely. We do not want to have any excuses for not winning, year in and year out.”

“I believe we have an incredible class of young players coupled with some incredible leadership, so I see no reason we can’t win it all.”

Among the new faces that Kordes hopes will help the Billikens win are Andrea Beaty, Hannah Kvitle and redshirt freshman Carly Schumacher. Last weekend in the IPFW Invitational in Indiana, all three started, marking the first time since the 2006 season opener that a freshman had been in the starting lineup on opening day.

They did well for themselves. Schumacher’s seven blocks against Milwaukee are one more than any Billiken recorded last season. Kvitle recorded 14 digs during the tournament and in the Bills’ victory against Tulsa, Beaty notched six kills, six digs and two blocks.

“Playing was totally different, being on the court and being part of the intensity,” Shumacher said. “I loved it. It was very cool how we came together as a younger team and backed each other after every play. There’s a whole new team dynamic.”

The pressure is on for the freshmen to outperform expectations. The revamped team will have to fill the shoes of a class that took three A-10 regular season titles, went undefeated in league play in 2007 and visited the NCAA tournament three times in four years.

The daunting task, while not lost on Kvitle, pushes the freshmen to perform better.

“We are young; we have nothing to lose,” she said. “We have to go harder than the other club. It’s all about attitude.”

“We are going to make freshmen mistakes, but it’s about pulling through that and getting better.”

Kordes says she is not worried.

“I love the competitiveness, the work ethic, the spunk and fight of the team. That’s going to be really important for such a young team. They have already shown that they can bounce back against good teams.”

The head coach was effusive in her praise for Beaty, Kvitle and Schumacher.

“Hannah [Kvitle] is a solid athlete. She has the ability to be one of the exciting freshmen in our conference.

“Andrea [Beaty] can play any position … she was put in a position she has never played, and she’s done incredible.”

“ Carly [Schumacher] is a kid that is consistent, she knows what’s happening on the court, what her priorities are. She gives us a nice opportunity to relax because she understands the flow of the game.”

With high hopes and high goals, the Billikens will begin charting through untested waters this weekend, starting Friday, Sept. 3, against Creighton. The headline match against Iowa will be held Saturday, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m.

All matches will be played at the Chaifetz Arena where, last year, SLU played before more than 6,000 against No. 1 ranked Penn State.

While the stakes this weekend are not that high, Beaty says regardless of outcome, this team will continue to mature and grow closer.

“The upperclassmen understand that we are going to make mistakes. I feel like we’ll be fine this weekend. We are more comfortable with the people we are around. “And as long as we give 100 percent effort, they will be there, cheering us on.”