Sept. 4, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

JOE SUNNEN, THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

There's still an element of disbelief when the returning members of the Western Washington University volleyball team talk about last season's run to the NCAA Division II national championship match.

Yes, the Vikings really did play for a national title last season. And yes, if everything breaks right again, there's a chance it could happen this season, too.

"We were just as surprised as anyone," senior Tiana Roma said in a phone interview. "We knew we had a good team and a good chance to make it there, but to get as far as we did was just wonderful."

While some team's might be more inclined to dismiss last year as the distant past, Western is embracing last season's success - WWU coach Diane Flick has wallpapered part of her office with clipping from that historic run - with an eye toward the present and the future.

"It was an exciting year," Flick said. "It's a testament to where this program is going and where this program is going to continue to go. Why forget something like that? I forget all the bad stuff, not the good stuff."

The rest of the nation hasn't forgotten either. Western's 26-5 record last season was enough to open some eyes in the annual CBS College Sports Network/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll.

When the Vikings open the season on Friday, Sept. 5 at the Cal State Monterey Bay Tournament in California they'll do so as the 10th-ranked team in nation. WWU also is a slight favorite to repeat as Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions. The Vikings have claimed four of the past seven conference titles.

"The first thing that we discussed at our first meeting was the pink elephant in the room," Flick said. "There are expectations and we're going to get everybody coming after the second best team in the country. We're not that same team. But we also said the reality was that team had the opportunity to create whatever they wanted to create. This group has that same opportunity."

The Vikings return a solid core and have filled in with talented, but inexperienced players around the edges. Leading the way for WWU will be middle blockers Roma and Angie Alvord. The two ranked third and fourth in kill's last season while Alvord led the team in blocks. Senior Marissa Hill returns as an opposite hitter and sophomore Allison Gotz, who played in several matches last season, steps in at libero. After that, several players will be seeing significant college minutes for the first time.

"Basically the biggest challenge we are going to face is inexperience," Roma said. "Player-wise I think we are just as good as we were last season, but right now we don't have that experience.

The hardest hit position and the toughest to replace will be outside hitter. The Vikings graduated Jaime Anderson and Emily Castro, their two leading kill's leaders from last season, and will need new options to emerge.

"Emily and Jaime carried a heavier load than people realize last season," Flick said. "We're trying to put our outside hitters in that position to carry that load this season. I think they are probably feeling the most pressure."

The Vikings will likely try to fill that outside hitter position by committee, at least early on. Megan Amundson, Shanley Besett, Jordyn Bailey and Alison Fairchild all have a chance to contribute and bring different things.

Amundson filled in at opposite hitter for Hill at the national tournament after Hill was injured and brings experience. Besett, a senior, brings leadership and an understanding of the game. Bailey has a year in the system and Fairchild, a freshman, was a phenom as a junior at Kentwood High School.

"Our outside hitters are all a little different," Flick said. "Some are smaller and bring heavier heat, some are taller, and some have more shots. At this point, with a lack of experience, mostly what we're going to get is a lack of consistency. That's a wave we're going to have to ride for a little bit."

The Vikings also will have to replace longtime setter Katie Robinson and All-American libero Courtney Schneider. The setter spot will go to Kari Rice, who had a chance to earn a few minutes last season, while Gotz becomes the libero. Flick thinks both will make a smooth transition.

"Kari had the opportunity to set against and with our hitters for a couple of years," Flick said. "She's definitely going to be a solid addition. We shouldn't lose anything at that position at all."

Slightly rebuilt and mostly reloaded, the Vikings are ready to take another run at a memorable season. Only time will tell whether this season ends in the same fashion that last year did.

"It's not about trying to match something that happened last year," Flick said. "I want this team to make this season their own. What that team did last year was set a solid foundation for us to work off of. It's not about where we finish, it's about how hard we work each day along the way."