Volleyball adjusts to changes

Rule changes, schedule format modifications and the graduation of the Class of 2001 have put a radically new face on Ivy League volleyball.

But staying the same through the summertime rulebook revisals is the Penn volleyball team's strong chance of winning its first Ancient Eight title in over a decade.

"Obviously you can't help but be excited," Penn coach Kerry Major said. "But this is the accumulation of four years of hard work -- blood, sweat and tears. I've never been with a team for four years as a head coach, so this is as exciting as it gets."

This season will be Major's fourth at the helm of the Penn program. It is also the fourth and final season for the team's three seniors -- setter Jodie Antypas, outside hitter Stephanie Horan and middle hitter Kelly Szczerba.

These three players will provide leadership on the court for the second straight year, as the Quakers had no seniors last season and thus lost no one to graduation.

"I believe a lot of the other teams will be playing freshmen as starters, so I'm hoping to capitalize on their inexperience with our experienced starters," Major said. "We should get a lot of wins up front and have to fight it out at the end."

If Penn is able to get enough wins up front, other teams may not be able to catch up in the double round-robin format, new to Ivy League volleyball this season.

The revised format will mirror that used in Ivy League basketball. All Ivy teams will now face each other twice in a season and will play a pair of different Ancient Eight teams each weekend.

The team with the most wins will be crowned the league champion and head to the NCAA Tournament.

The rules of the game have also changed, with rally scoring and the net serve being implemented in 2001 throughout the NCAA.

Traditional sideout scoring, in which a team can only score when it is serving, will be replaced by rally scoring, in which each serve results in a point.

"Rally scoring is a very close format in that anyone can win if you let up at any point in the match," Major said. "It's not like you can get a lead and sit on it. Every match is going to be that much closer, that much more exciting and that much more intense."

The addition of the net serve might throw off a few players -- and fans -- early in the season, as serves that hit the net but are otherwise in play are now fair game.

"Serves will be tougher, so our passers will have to get better," Antypas said. "We have one of the best passing teams in the Ivy League, so I think we'll be okay with that. But I think it gives us the ability to serve tougher and not be afraid to do that."

The Quakers are hoping to generate some points off the serve, as well as side out more efficiently. Most of last season's points were the result of defense -- strong blocking at the net and quickness on the floor.

"We were lower in the Ivy League stats offensively, so we tried to even out our game this year," Antypas said

Penn will be using a variety of different offensive weapons this year, including a number of combination plays and quicker sets from Antypas and sophomore Meghan Schloat to the outside, all in the name of creating confusion for opposing blockers.

This means more quick sets to the middle for Szczerba, sophomore Heather Janssen and newcomer Lynzy Caton, and more one-on-one matchups at the outside antenna for Horan, junior Stacey Carter and sophomores Katie Brandt and Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan.

Adding a spark off the bench offensively will be sophomore right-side hitter Lauren Carter, while passing and digging in the backcourt will be junior Kai Gonsorowski's main duties.

Several freshmen may also compete for playing time, including Caton, setter Jessica Tunstill, middle hitters Natalie Francis and Molly Dixon, defensive specialist Ashley Lewis and outside hitter Tina Tsou.

"I want everyone -- all 15 people on the varsity -- to play and solidify a starting lineup by the end of September," Major said. "So the home games will probably show a lot of new faces."

The starting lineup will be prepared for the Ivy League matches of October and November. They will be inspired by the 1977 Quakers, who won the league's first championship under the former tournament format.

Now it's up to the 2001 Quakers to do the same under the new rules.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.