Volleyball: Team-wide service improvements keep opponents on toes
Continued from page 13
The probability of landing a serve
decreases as the level of serve
increases.
“Our level three and four servers
have the highest amount of service
errors," Ferreira said. “With our lev
el one and two, we want them to
be more conservative with their
r
location and keep the ball in play.”
Coach Ferreira emphasized that he
is not looking for his team to commit
numerous service errors, but he
wants his team to serve aggressively.
That approach has given Oregon the
most service aces (138) and highest
average of aces per game (2.12) in
the Pac-10.
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A player’s rhythm does not stay at
a consistent level through an entire
match, Ferreira said. The pre-game
serve and pass practices allow play
ers to get a feel for their rhythm be
fore they take the floor.
“You have to feel how your body
is during a match,” Madison said.
“Usually, 1 just start out grooving it,
and then as the match progresses, it
gets to be more like a level four.”
The coaches relay hand signals
from the bench to direct where the
server should place the ball based on
previous scouting reports of the op
posing team’s positioning or observa
tion of the current match. A service
type is often selected based on a serv
er’s expertise or consistency with a
certain style.
Going through the routine
In order for a player to become a
legitimate server, she has to feel
comfortable on the floor and devel
op a routine. Some servers measure
their steps from the line, others
bounce the ball, and a few just take
a deep breath.
“It’s just like with free throws,”
Rust explained. “You see basketball
players have their routine every time
they (shoot), it’s the same concept.”
Rust said the coaching staff gives
advice to each server about her rou
tine based on observations made in a
match or practice.
“We all give feedback to the play
ers, and each player requires a differ
ent approach,” Rust said. “Most girls
have a routine and a thought process
prior to serving.”
Toss, spin and jump
Players have an arsenal of serves
that provide different results and
have different tactical objectives.
Adding top spin to a level four
serve makes the ball hard to read be
cause it dips after it crosses the net.
To apply top-spin to a volleyball, con
tact the bottom of the ball and rotate
your hand up and over so that it
finishes on top. This creates forward
spin, and as the velocity decreases,
the ball breaks toward the floor.
A side spin can also be applied to a
serve. It makes the ball dip and curve
to one side, but requires great wrist
movement and good hand control.
Level one and level two floater
serves require no break of the
server’s wrist. A pushing motion is
used to limit the amount of spin,
which results in an effect similar to a
knuckleball.
Whether it’s a slide-step jump
serve or a flat-footed floater, Oregon
has utilized many serve variations to
keep its foes guessing.
“I think everybody, at a different
level, has definitely improved
because we’re on top of the confer
ence in aces per game,” Rust said.
“When training in the offseason, that
is one of the things where we want
ed everybody to be aggressive, and
it’s really shined through in the fall.”
stephenmiller@ daily emerald, com
Soccer: Injuries plague Oregon forwards
Lontinuea tram page u
Kapaku and Andrea Valadez gave the
Ducks a potent attack up front.
“She was one of the most danger
ous forwards in the Pac-10,” assistant
coach John Galas said. “Behind
(Nicole) Garbin, she was a player
that the (Pac-10) conference had to
take notice of.”
For her career, French finished
with 82 shots, 38 shots on goal, eight
goals, three assists, 19 points and two
game-winning goals. Her eight goals
rank tied for seventh all-time with
teammate Andrea Valadez. She is
also ninth all-time in points scored
and sixth in shots taken.
“1 don’t think it’s really sunk in with
the team yet that she isn’t going to be
playing anymore,” Mintz said. “It’s
sad, because she is a great player, and
she has many more great games.”
French was player of the year and
a first-team all-state pick as a junior
and senior at Mililani High School
in Mililani, Hawaii. She was the
state co-player of the year and led
her team to the state championship
in her final season.
French was unavailable for
comment.
Time on the bench
trend continues
Injuries have been the biggest fac
tor this season for the Ducks. Nearly
all players have seen time on the
bench, and this week the trend con
tinues. Offensive producers have
been hit the hardest. The Ducks’
biggest threat, Nicole Garbin, was
lost during the spring due to a knee
injury. Caitlin Gamble, who is tied for
second on the team in goals scored,
has been lost for the rest of the year
with a stress fracture.
The leading scorer for the Ducks in
the 2003 season, Valadez, is listed as
questionable for the Ducks on the
road this weekend with an possible
ACL injury suffered against Washing
ton. Valadez leads the team this year
with shots (31) and is tied for the lead
in shots on goal (19).
Other injured players include
Dana Richardson, who is day-to
day, and Jen Cameron, who is out
for the rest of the season with a high
ankle sprain.
Five Pac-10 teams
play musical stats
Five conference teams remained
in the rankings for this week. Ac
cording to Soccer America top-25:
UCLA moves up to No. 5, Washing
ton jumps to No. 6, California
moves into the No. 13 spot, Stan
ford remains at No. 14 and Arizona
moves down to No. 18.
briansmith@ daily emerald, com
Scrimmage: Communication needs work
Continued from page 13
“We definitely need to keep work
ing on our communication, and we
need to quit turning the ball over as
much, and the defense needs to
keep moving,” Wagner said. “When
you put it all together, it’s just a lot
of little things.”
Senior Cathrine Kraayeveld
only made a minor contribution
offensively, but played well overall.
“Cathrine provides us with a scor
ing punch,” Smith said. “Her inside
and outside game are very impor
tant to us but you can see how im
portant defensively she is to us.”
Kraayeveld made 2 of 8 shots
from the floor but went 0 for 4 from
the three-point range. She finished
with four points. Her presence
outside spread the defense even
more and provided open looks for
shooters like Wagner.
“She’s a threat everywhere,”
Wagner said of Kraayeveld. “It
makes it fun because then I can just
float on the outside when everyone
doubles her.”
stepheruniller@ daily emerald, com
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