AIKEN, S.C.--USC Aiken head volleyball coach Will Condon felt like a chess master playing with only half his pieces in 2003. Early season injuries crippled the promise of his young squad, leading to a disappointing 13-21 season. But a mostly healthy team to start the 2004 campaign has optimism in the air surrounding the Lady Pacers’ program.

“Our early season injuries limited us from the beginning last year,” said Condon, 70-61 in his four seasons at the helm. “This year we are not limited by numbers. Our options are almost unlimited. We have multiple people that can play multiple positions.”

The Lady Pacers were picked to finish fourth in the 2004 preseason Peach Belt Conference volleyball poll. USCA received 27 total points, trailing North Florida, Armstrong Atlantic State, and USC Upstate (formerly USC Spartanburg). North Florida, ranked 11th in the preseason AVCA Top 25 poll, was the unanimous choice to claim their eighth-consecutive regular season crown.

So with seven letterwinners and four starters returning off last year’s team that was 5-9 in conference play and tied for fifth, does Condon think this is an accurate prediction?

“I see it as a sign of some respect considering the year we had last year,” said Condon. “People feel it [last year] was more of an anomaly than a sign of where the program was truly heading.”

And Jenny Lloyd is certainly the engine driving this train in an upward direction. In 2003, the senior from Fife, Wash. transitioned from middle blocker to outside hitter. Without regard for her own successes, Lloyd did it for the good of the team. In the end, Lloyd made the transition just fine racking up a school record 583 kills, or an average of 4.52 per game. Named All-Conference as well as PBC Player of the Week, Lloyd registered 12 matches of 20+ kills including a record 36 kills in a 3-1 win over rival Augusta State on October 1.

“Jenny had one of the best individual performances ever in the history of our program, and given the individual performances that this program has had, that’s really saying something,” said Condon.

The youth of last season, freshman Cheryl Barcas, Laura Williams, and Brandy Johnson, have added a year of collegiate experience under their belts and will have increasing roles as sophomores. Combined with talented crop of eight newcomers, potential is the buzzword for the future of the program.

“Our recruiting class is so wide and deep, we have players ready to play right away and we have some that might not be ready until next year,” said Condon. “But overall, the athletic ability of this group is higher than in years past.”

SETTERS
Junior Rachel Dalitz and sophomore Cheryl Barcas are in a virtual dead heat for the starting setter position. The duo combined for 1,333 assists last season.

“Rachel and Cheryl are different in their styles, but all through preseason they have been very equal in terms of numbers,” said Condon. “Both will get an opportunity, but one will have to step up and take over the lead. It is comforting as a coach, however, to know that if one has an off night, we have someone else that can go in and change things around.”

Freshman Amanda Timm was expected to factor into the mix, but she has been hampered throughout the preseason by a fractured wrist.

MIDDLE BLOCKERS
Sophomores Brandy Johnson and Laura Williams along with freshman Mandy Gerolstein are the primary candidates in the middle for the Lady Pacers. Johnson hit .158 with 26 kills and 13 blocks in 36 games last season. Williams made the biggest impact of any freshman last year with 170 kills and 66 blocks in 119 games played.

“All three players are very different. Laura is left-handed which causes matchup problems because you don’t see left-handed middles. Brandy is more of your prototypical middle, ” said Condon. “Mandy is one of the hardest working middles I have ever seen. She has a lot to learn about placing balls, areas of the court to hit, but it’s a lot easier to teach that when you have someone that works that hard.”

Freshman Bridgette Beach has also been dealing with an injury throughout the preseason but will add some depth to the middle blocking position once healthy.

OUTSIDE HITTERS
Two of the team’s three seniors return at the outside hitter position. Jessica Lane and Lloyd will be joined by three newcomers in Veronica Seidle, Jasmine Edney, and Missy Deardorff. Lane really emerged in her junior season with 222 kills and a record setting 80 service aces, and Lloyd’s success have already been detailed.

“Hopefully Jenny won’t have to have the number of kills she had last year, but that she will hit for a higher percentage and in turn have a lot better year this year,” said Condon. “Jessica’s strength is serve receive and ball control. She is an experienced player who brings a lot of positive energy to the court.”

“Veronica is a very solid, smooth, technical outside hitter. She’s not flashy or dominating, but she makes more plays than anybody else,” said Condon. “Jasmine is the best athlete on the team. She has a lot to learn, but her physical gifts are off the chart. Missy is a very good athlete who hits with power and is an exceptional blocker; she just needs to learn our system and how we do things.”

LIBERO
Although all three players vying for time at the libero position were not on the roster last year, one is still a familiar face to Lady Pacer fans. Senior Brandi Gayle returns after a one-year hiatus to join newcomers Karen McClellan and Emily Beecher in what Condon is calling a “significantly upgraded” libero position.

“After last season, the libero position was something I felt like needed a significant upgrade,” said Condon. “It seems like most liberos are either good at serve receive or defense, but ours are good at both.”

USC Aiken opens the season this weekend (August 27-28) at the Joseph B. DuRant Invitational hosted by Francis Marion. The Lady Pacers will take on Barton College on Friday at 11:00 AM and then Carson-Newman at 7:00 PM.

USC Aiken owns three regular season conference titles (1991, 1992, 1995) as well as three PBC Tournament crowns (1991, 1992, 1996).

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