sports _
john harris
Volleyball played for keeps
The Oregon volleyball team fared well in Saturday’s
Jamboree, winning six out of eight games. But did you
know that the Ducks registered an efficiency rating of 87
percent for serving and 65 percent for passing, both rela
tively negative marks? Or that the Ducks graded out posi
tively on serving aces points and offensive credits, and
that they received superlative performances from their
backcourt setter and center defensive specialist? Well,
they did, and if you understand what all that means, you
know more about volleyball than most of us. If it's all jib
berish, take heed, because it's the lexicon of a special
coach of an interesting and up and coming sport.
Chris Voelz was labeled "the guru of positive mental
attitude” during an eight year coaching career at Maine
South High School in Parkridge. III. A fitting moniker con
sidering that during the past two years her team compiled a
46-6 record competing in suburban Chicago, a hotbed of
volleyball.
Since graduating in 1970 from Illinois State, where she
competed for four years in basketball and volleyball, Voelz
has witnessed the emergence of all women's sports, and in
particular volleyball. “Everything has gotten big for women,
and it’s just been natural for volleyball, because it can’t be
compared to a men's sport,” she says.
Voelz's start has risen with women s athletics. She has
published a book on motivation of athletes and has spoken
nationally about volleyball. An Oregon official was so im
pressed by one of Voelz’s presentations that the University
asked her if she would be interested in coaching here.
Voelz answered yes. because she felt volleyball is
growing in the Northwest, and because she hopes to con
vince some of the multitudes of Southern California high
school players that Oregon's clean air and beautiful land is
a favorable alternative to L.A.s smog.
The Ducks are young and inexperienced and have just
two women on scholarship, though they are allowed 12, but
Voelz exudes confidence.
“If we can recruit three skilled players we ll have an
outstanding team,” she says. “Right now we re in the mid
dle of a transition because I'm changing some of theirfher
players) techniques, but we have a real pride in our perfor
mance and a very optimistic expectation for the future.
Included in the transition is Voelz's knowledge of
statistics and how they can interpret a team's performance.
On her “Shining Sum," a stat sheet listing team totals in 13
categories, Volez has to include a plus or minus sign so that
her players understand what it all means.
Volleyball is much more than just batting a ball over the
net until the other team fails to return it. The Ducks have set
plays and even a quarterback, the hitter setter, who calls
signals in the middle of a volley.
Each player is assigned to a position to which they are
best suited. The front line consists of the on hand, off hand
and middle hitter. The on hand hitter positions herself on
the left side of the net (if she's right handed) and must be a
strong yet fast player; Shawna Baxter fills that role for
Oregon. The off hand hitter is located front right and is so
called because the ball crosses her body before she strikes
it. Ideally, a team would have a left handed player in this
position, but the Ducks are all right handed; Christie McFar
lane plays this position.
Between these two is the middle hitter, the tallest
player on the team: in the Duck’s case, 6-0 Mary O'Brien or
5-10 Annetta Ensworth.
In the backcourt are the smaller, quicker players. The
power angle is a slight exception. She lines up on the left
back side and should be more powerful than fast “She
must be able to absorb shots up to 70 miles an hour without
getting knocked off her feet," Voelz explains. Anita En
sworth fills this unenviable role for the Ducks.
In the middle of the backcourt is the hitter-setter. She
must be able to read the action and be fast enough to react
to it. This requires an active yet poised player and for the
Ducks this junior Sue Stadler.
The setter, who lines up in the back right is the quarter
back of the team. Once the ball has been served, she
rushes to the front line and calls the plays. This important
role is filled by freshman Micheie Nekota, who Voelz calls,
the team’s sparkplug."
Because people around here are unfamiliar with the
game or just plain not interested the crowds watching the
Ducks are not as large as the ones Voelz's high school
team attracted in Illinois, and Voelz feels this is one of the
things she must change in order to build the program she
envisions.
"I’m used to bigger crowds,” she admits, “but it's a com
munity thing and just has to catch hold. We’d like people to
come see a good game and cheer for us."
And tonight’s your chance. The Ducks entertain Port
land State, a team which has compiled a 125-1 record in the
Northwest over the past few years, at 8 p.m. in Mac Court
So go to the game, and you never know, maybe you II
be able to tell the on hand from the off hand.
Field hockey squad wins,
loses and ties on road trip
The Oregon field hockey team
opened the season last weekend
with a three-day, four-game road
trip to Northern California during
which they won two games.
On Friday the Ducks battled to a
1-1 tie with Cal State-Sacramento
on the strength of a goal by junior
Nancy Pedrotti.
Yanks win
BOSTON — Bucky Dent rallied
the New York Yankees with a
three-run homer in the seventh in
ning and Reggie Jackson applied
the finishing touch with a home
run in the eighth as the 1977
World Series champions hung on
for a 5-4 victory over the Boston
Red Sox and won the American
League East title in a playoff Mon
day.
The Yankees, East champions
for the third straight year, will
begin the best-of-five AL champ
ionship playoff series at Kansas
City against the Royals Tuesday
night.
Warren
Miller
Production
ENTREES
SUN VALLEY PARK CITY,
CHAMONIX SUMMIT COLORADO
GREECE. CARIBOOS. SUGARBUSH
FREE STYLE. SKI FLYING ENDURO
DELICIOUS COMEDY A
WARREN MILLER NARRATION
Warran Miller appearing in person
South Eugene High School
Auditorium
Wednesday October 4, 8:00 p.m.
Admission $3.00 advanced $3.50 at
door
“We were just not used to play
ing together yet, and we domi
nated them but just couldn’t put
the ball in the goal,” coach Nancy
Plantz says of her young team that
includes just two seniors.
Saturday morning the Ducks
travelled to Berkeley to meet
California and were upended 2-0.
Sheryl Johnson, who Plantz terms
“the best college forward in the
United States,” scored both goals
for Cal.
Following their morning con
test, the Ducks motored two hours
south to meet UC-Davis in the af
ternoon and emerged with a 3-2
win. Oregon never trailed and got
goals from Ronnie Dellamotta.
Nancy Berry and Sue Minkoma.
The Ducks continued their
grueling schedule Sunday, meet
ing Chico State, whom they beat
3-1. Belinda Stillwell, a junior link,
scored twice, while Minkoma
added one goal.
‘‘We really played well,’' Plantz
says of the trip as a whole. “I’m not
sure if Berkeley or Chico was our
best game, but since we won
against Chico, I’d have to say that
was our best.’’
The Ducks’ next encounter
comes Friday when they meet
Western Washington in a tourna
ment at Pacific Lutheran.
EMU FOOD SERVICE
DELICATESSEN
OPEN 11-7 Mon-Fri 5-7:00 Sundays j
MEATS
•Raft Salami
•Pastrami (turkey)
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•Swiss •Tillamook
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BREADS
•Light & Dark Rye *Cracked Wheat
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SALADS
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•Roast Beef
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sports haps
Tennis
The entry deadline tor the University Men s
invitational tennis tournament is today at 5:30
p.m Entries should be returned to Buzz Sum
mers at the Oregon athletic department
Competition on si* levels for both men and
women will take place Friday. Saturday and
Sunday The categories range Irom
35-year-old and over to 18 and under and from
players with high school varsity expenence to
beginners.
No entries will be accepted without fees
profits of which go to the University s men s
tennis team
Volleyball
The University s women's voieyOaH teem
entertains Portland State :omgh* at 8 in Mac
Court
Table Tennis
The table tennis dub will hold a meeting and
practice tonight in Gertinger Annex 350 For
more information cal the dub sports office or
John Kretchmet at 687-1579
SPECIALS AT
Great Northwest Art
Supply Company
• Staedtler Tech Pens—.00 thru 6
— $5.95 (Sugg. Ret. 7.50)
• Newsprint Rolls—36 in. x 50 yds.
$3.50 (Reg. 4.50)
• One group oil paints at special prices
Prices good Oct. 2 thru Oct. 14
Subject to stock on hand.
These specials in addition to
our year-round discount prices.
Open Mon-Thurs: 9 to 9
Fri & Sat till 6
Sun. noon to 5
720 E. 13th—2 blocks from campus
(lift
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