Women's volleyball Tommies hope to be in title hunt
Published Saturday November 14th, 2009
The St. Thomas Tommies probably aren't going to run away with the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association women's volleyball championship this season.
But they're anxious to get out of the starting blocks.
Ed Welch's Tommies play their first two regular season matches against the reigning ACAA champion Mount Allison Mounties today and Sunday at 1 p.m. at the South Gym.
Welch sees them as the first planks in the foundation in the building process that will put them right in the thick of the fight for the ACAA championship in February.
It won't be easy: the Tommies lost all three of their award-winning players from last year's team, with the graduation of ACAA player of the year and first team all-star Tara Thibault - she's an assistant on Welch's staff this season, along with Morgan Roherty, who has also graduated - and the unscheduled departures of fellow first team all-star Ashley Jordan and second team selection Nicole Brimson.
Brimson, the team's rookie of the year last year, has returned to her native Nova Scotia and will play with the Mount St. Vincent's Mystics this season. Jordan didn't return to school.
With six returning veterans still finding their way on the floor and six rookies to adjust to the ACAA level, the Tommies figure to be a work in progress all season.
"I'm looking forward to getting it together," Welch said. "It may not be right away. We may have to look at some struggles as we go along, but we won't change our goal of winning the championship."
Welch, who has seen it all before - this will be his 11th season at the helm of the Tommies and he was a coaching legend at Oromocto High School before that - believes the Tommies can be part of the conversation when the talk turns to potential ACAA champions.
"Several years I coached it would be you or the other guy" (as contenders), he said. "In the last couple of years, it's been you and three other guys.'"
The Tommies aren't that far removed from the dynasty of a couple of seasons ago, a squad that reeled off 136 wins in a row against ACAA competition before losing in the final of the 2007 tournament to the Mounties. STU regained the title the next year, but lost the title to the Mounties last season. Getting the banner back will involve "a growing process," said Welch.
"Somebody said you either give up your dream or grow up your team," he said. "We don't want to give up our dream. Our goal is still to win the ACAA championship. "
He's still experimenting with who fits where on the floor. Captain Jayne Erickson, a five-foot-10 left side player, is the lone fourth-year player. Third-year player Lindsey Edney of Bathurst has moved from the middle to the right side and is a candidate to replace Brimson as the libero, places where her five-foot-nine frame would be put to best use.
Michelle Vienneau, in her fourth year at school and second in the volleyball program, is back. She and fellow golfer Bobbi Wilson teamed up to help the Tommies win the ACAA women's golf championship earlier this season. The five-foot-eight Bathurst native will play the right side.
Third year starting setter Kelsey Knowles returns. Lauren Hamilton of Lowell, Mass., moves from her role as a backup setter into the libero spot. The five-foot-five third-year player "is an excellent defensive player," Welch said. "She's very athletic and quick."
Gaby Boutilier, a third-year player from Charlottetown and versatile enough to play either left or right side, will see significant floor time too.
Rookies abound.
Three players are in from the Leo Hayes girls varsity program and a Tommies club team run by Mike Gallagher of Leo Hayes, and Welch's daughter Amy, a former Tommies' player and now an assistant with her dad. The Lion trio includes Ksenia Sehic, a six footer who steps right into a starting role in the middle.
"She'll do very well in this league," said Welch. "We're working on aspects of her game, but she's a very enthusiastic player."
Lauren Hale-Miller, a five-foot-10 left side player, will also get floor time subject to her availability. She's missed a couple of practices with some inflammation in her knee, but Welch hopes it clears up sufficiently for her to help out.
Five-foot-10 Amanda Merrithew, another former Lion, brings some versatility. She's been in the middle through the Tip Off tournament and exhibition play, but will see action on both sides as well."It's a matter of finding where we can get the most out of Amanda," he said.
Another rookie, Victoria Kulesza, a six-footer out of Bathurst, will play in the middle.
"She's a good blocker ... all aspects of her game are coming along," said Welch.
Walk-on Katie Cornelius of London, Ont., a setter and right side player, and Nicole Armstrong, a five-foot-10 left side player who comes from the senior ranks and is ready to try school, is another good find. "She's a tremendous volleyball player," said Welch. "I know she's going to be a pleasant surprise to us and maybe not so pleasant for some of the other teams. She's not your ordinary rookie."
If you plan to see the Tommies before Christmas, it had better be this weekend. Today and tomorrow's matches are their only games at home until - believe it or not - Jan. 23 when they host Universite Sainte-Anne.
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