Lady Bluejays set to defend KCAC title
Tabor volleyball team
tabbed second to start 2004
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
After three straight years of coming ever so close, the Lady Bluejays finally reached the summit in 2003, advancing past the KCAC tournament.
As the 2004 season begins, coach Amy Ratzlaff has a daunting task on her hands — replacing the foundation for Tabor volleyball.
Despite being knocked out in the first round of the Region VI Tournament by Nebraska heavyweight Doane College, the Bluejays got a glimpse of what it takes to compete both in and out of league competition.
Tabor revs up for making a fourth consecutive run at the KCAC crown.
While many coaches would be shedding tears over losing their greatest group of seniors, Ratzlaff already was loading up for the future.
The fifth-year coach and three-time KCAC coach of the year may have hit the jackpot with this new recruiting class.
Tabor won't have Sara McAllister, Angela Kroeker-Jost, Carmen Hein, Laura Campbell, and Rachelle Regier in the lineup, just don't sell Tabor short.
The Bluejays got a pair of highly touted transfers from Hesston College in Katie Baysinger and All-American Anne Gunden.
Gunden's off to a good start filling the large shoes of Sara McAllister as a setter. She nabbed KCAC setter-of-the-week honors after opening week of play.
While the 2003 team was loaded with upperclassmen leadership, this year's team boasts only one senior. Ratzlaff is excited to build her team around lone senior Erin Loewen.
Loewen's always possessed leadership capabilities, but she's never been in a situation where she has had to be a leader — until now, that is.
She'll have plenty of support as the underclassmen are poised to see to it that Loewen goes out with four league titles.
Counting the transfers, the junior class is enough to strike fear into any opposing coach.
Returning is the trio of Johannah Love, Jill Hein, and Shannon Kroeker, three letter winners from last season's 20-13 team.
Love is a solid player, Hein has tremendous athleticism, and Kroeker brings some much needed experience in clutch situations.
If that isn't enough, sophomore Staci Whitcomb, a first-team KCAC pick, returns. The sophomore class is loaded with six players in addition to Whitcomb earning letters.
Filling holes in the middle are Lindsey Vogts and Ashley McKillip, a pair of 5-10 middle hitters.
Traci Neufeld gets a shot at filling defensive specialist Carmen Hein's spot.
Tabor will be a team that possesses good size with sophomores Ashley Sherrer and 6-0 spiker Kelsi Suderman.
Ratzlaff couldn't be happier as her team has been picked to finish second behind arch-rival Bethel.
Tabor has already downed the Lady Threshers in its first game of the KCAC season while getting through a deadly preseason with a 3-8 record.
