Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: SPORTS

Media Credit: Holly Dutton Freshman outside hitter Julie Weilnau catches her breath during NT's last game against the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The team ended their season with a 6-25 overall record and a 4-14 record in the West division.

Media Credit: unknown

Following a season in which 10 newcomers, including six freshmen, joined the squad, the NT volleyball team failed to make the Sun Belt Conference Tournament for the first time since joining the Conference in 2000.

Although the team finished with a 6-25 overall record, head coach Cassie Headrick said her players "don't even realize what they've learned."

After the wheels of change were set in motion last offseason with the departure of nine players, including five seniors, Headrick proceeded to import the most new faces to an NT volleyball team since 1981.

After losing the season-opening home game 3-0 to Texas Tech University, fate seesawed as the Mean Green defeated Jackson State University 3-0 on Aug. 30.

Later that day, however, NT lost 3-2 against the University of Texas at Arlington. Although the Mean Green had three players with double-digit kills, a low .177 hitting percentage and 35 attack errors cost NT the game.

As the season progressed, NT won only one game in which it had a higher hitting percentage than its opponent.

During its next six games - all of which were losses - NT only recorded a higher hitting percentage than its opponents one time.

NT had a reversal of fortune with a 3-0 win over McNeese State University on Sept. 19. The success was short-lived, however, as the team lost its next two games.

Junior setter Marelle Lepmets said "believing and trusting" in teammates was something she found difficult at that point, but as the season progressed, she determined it was necessary in order to be successful.

Following a 3-1 win against the University of Louisiana at Monroe, NT lost its next six games before defeating then-No. 15 Western Kentucky University.

"We can beat the big teams. … We have the physical ability to compete with everyone in this conference," freshman defensive specialist Sarah Willey said. "It just takes consistency."

The Mean Green went 2-8 to finish the season, which was, more than anything, a "learning experience," junior outside hitter Salah Schoenecke said.

Although next year the team will return every player on its current roster, Willey said that it wouldn't be easy to find the level of consistency it would take to reach full potential.

Headrick agreed and added that the team needs to learn to maintain confidence at the end of matches.

"We're not that close yet," Willey said. "We're still getting to know each other well."

Schoenecke said the team can't afford to dwell on this season's disappointments because that would prevent the Mean Green from applying this year's lessons next season.

"We're not lying down," Schoenecke said. "We're going to work harder than anybody in our conference this offseason and come back stronger than expected."

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