Midshipmen relishing dog of a role
Navy hopes to spring upset in first round of tourney
Michigan is a perennial powerhouse on the collegiate women’s volleyball scene.
Under the direction of 19th-year head coach Mark Rosen, the Wolverines have made 16 NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the Final Four in 2012, the Elite Eight in 2009 and the Sweet Sixteen in four other seasons.
Michigan boasts a tall and powerful front line led by 6-foot-1 senior outside hitter Carly Skjodt, who was a third team All-American as a junior and a unanimous first team All-Big Ten Conference selection as a senior. The Wolverines boasts a 22-9 record and did not lose a match outside the Big Ten Conference.
Needless to say, it would be considered a major upset if Navy were able to knock off 18th-ranked Michigan in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday afternoon (4 p.m.).
“We are definitely underdogs coming into this match, but I think that gives us a huge advantage in a sense,” Navy senior outside hitter Kelsey Kingsland said this week. “There is nothing to lose so we’re going to give it our all and put our hearts out there. I think it’s going to be a great experience. We are going to give them a fight on every point.”
Navy will be making the first NCAA tournament appearance in program history when it takes the court at the Petersen Events Center on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. The Midshipmen (23-8) are riding a wave of confidence after upsetting top-seeded American in the championship match of the Patriot League tournament.
“One of the things that really helped win the American match was that we were very positive and energetic, vocal and relentless,” Navy head coach Paco Labrador said. “We played a really passionate style of volleyball and it was contagious. Everyone started making plays because of all the energy and enthusiasm. We’ve got to figure out a way to play with that same relentless, grinding, tough-as-nails mentality against Michigan.”
Labrador is less focused on winning and losing as making sure Navy puts its best foot forward. The first-year head coach wants fans in attendance to come away impressed with the how hard the Midshipmen battled and made the Wolverines work for every point.
“Honestly, we just have to leave it all out on the floor. That is the only way to get it done,” Navy senior setter Patricia Mattingly said. “We have to play like this is the last match of our careers and with so much effort that we have nothing left in our bodies. We have to show a ton of fight and relentless energy from beginning to end.”
Navy may have two things going in its favor on Friday afternoon. There is a chance mighty Michigan might overlook the unheralded opponent from the lightly-regarded Patriot League. As the heavy favorite, it is possible the Wolverines would tighten up if the match does not go as planned.
“Just like any underdog story, you have to come out with a lot of hustle and a lot of fight and sort of surprise them. They may come in not thinking it’s not going to be that tough of a match then all of a sudden realize they have a really tough battle on their hands,” Mattingly said. “If we start doing well I think there will be some pressure on Michigan because they’re expected to win. That puts a lot of weight on their shoulders.”
Michigan had a pair of second team All-Big Ten selections in senior libero Jenna Lerg and freshman outside hitter Paige Jones, who is also 6-foot-1. The Wolverines have tremendous size across the board and multiple players that can hit with power.
“We definitely have to embrace what we’re good at doing and execute our game-plan,” Mattingly said. “Wemay not be as big and powerful as Michigan, but I think we will play with more grit and determination. We have to go in there with a chip on our shoulder and show them how a small team gets it done.”
Navy played another Big Ten Conference opponent this season in Penn State, which is seeded eighth in the NCAAtournament and swept Michigan during the regular season. Alabama was another high-level opponent that Navy was able to win a set against.
Of course, Navy just pulled off a stunning upset by beating American, which had won 15 of the previous 17 Patriot League championships and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament in 2013.
“We’ve played some big ball at the beginning of this season so that has definitely prepared us. I think what happened this past weekend against American showed that we can take out tough teams,” Kingsland said. “I think our team chemistry outdoes anyone’s size and power. Also, the way we play for each other is something you can’t practice or teach. I think that passion we play with will help out a lot.”
Labrador has talked to his team about not “getting worked up about special points by special players.” In other words, there are going to be moments during the match when Michigan hammers home a kill that draws oohs and aahs from the crowd.
“We know they’re going to have their big points on some pounding hits. What’s great about volleyball is that those are still just one point,” Kingsland said. “We have to keep our heads on straight and just move on to the next point. We are not going to be intimidated at all.”
Skjodt leads Michigan with 459 kills while Jones stands second with 372. Three other players have recorded between 116 and 160 kills. MacKenzie Welsh, a 6-foot-1 left-handed setter, has distributed 1,152 assists while Lerg is the defensive ace with 539 digs.
“Michigan is one of those teams that runs great offense,” Labrador conceded. “They have adapted a concept that is primarily used on the men’s side by running an extra attacker at you from the back row.”
Most women’s volleyball teams are capable of attacking only from the front row. Extremely talented athletes are required in order to be able to take off from behind the 10-foot line and deliver spike attempts from deep. Labrador said Jones, the freshman, is particularly adept at hitting from the back row.
“It adds a fourth attacker in every pattern and is very difficult to deal with,” Labrador admitted. “It is kind of like the hurry-up offenses in football. The attacks can come from anywhere and the defenses are constantly trying to play catch-up.”
It will be crucial for Navy to serve accurately and effectively to counteract the potent Michigan offense. The Midshipmen will try to serve to Skjodt and Jones to make it more difficult for them to be finishers. Senior Darby Minton and sophomore Maddi Sgattoni have been the team’s best servers this season.
“Our serve is going to be critical to keeping them out of the four-hitter offense,” Labrador said. “If we can serve in a way that can disrupt things it might take one or two of the offensive options out of the play.”
Navy ranks 25th nationally in opponent hitting percentage and that is due to having a pair of standout seniors on the back row in Minton and Sydney Shearn, the 2016 Libero of the Year in the Patriot League.
Sgattoni leads Navy with 391 kills while Kingsland and middle blocker Katie Patrick have amassed 263 and 228, respectively. Patrick is 6-foot-2 while Kingsland is 6-foot.
“We need to be very composed and make really sound decisions as hitters. We must make sure our hitters are giving the team the best chance to succeed,” Labrador said.