Sometimes, wholesale changes are needed.
The volleyball team has not accomplished a winning season since joining to the Mid-American Conference in 1999.
In an effort to chance that, the previous year's coaching staff was released, opening spots for new, enthusiastic coaches to step in. First year assistant coaches Jenni Horvath and Andreza Santos came in to help lead the team after their own very successful volleyball careers. Joining the new assistants was head coach Todd Kress, who previously coached two other schools into the NCAA Tournament.
These changes have paid off. Buffalo is now 13-8 overall and 4-4 against Mid-American Conference teams in a season filled with upsets, tight battles and hope. The team looks to continue the success with their team training supervised by Kress.
'Our success thus far is predicated upon a couple of things,' Kress said. 'Their sacrifice and hard work over the summer, spring, and this fall … it doesn't just happen overnight, they prepared for this. Number two, we're healthy. Last year as a program they were beat up and had some injuries. We say our prayer every day that we get through another day that we're healthy.'
One of those players was junior middle blocker Kelsey Lueders, who was forced out 10 games into the 2008 season due to a broken foot. This season she has been named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week and is second on the team in blocks.
Lueders is not the only Bull to come through this year. Freshman defensive specialist Tori Beckman, who leads the team with 360 digs, has impressed Kress.
'Tori's been a big part of our success this year,' Kress said. 'There's no doubt about it. She's put up big numbers defensively. [Tori's] out there in every rotation passing and defending … she has helped us a ton as a freshman.'
Junior outside hitter Merissa Hornbaker has seen a change in attitude. The team has more confidence and Kress has the team motivated in games.
'Everything's about winning,' said Hornbaker. 'We work harder and we work to win.'
That philosophy guided them in a virtuous comeback attempt against Syracuse at home. Buffalo lost 3-2, but due to the team's sheer voracity, the game is still considered a highlight of the season.
'It was the first time we realized that we could fight together as a team and [noticed] that we do have the opportunity to do good things this year,' Hornbaker said.
Despite the numerous strides, there are still some noted flaws. The team has dropped some winnable contests, including a loss against underdog Seton Hall in three sets earlier this season.
'It was a match we should've had and we let it slip through,' Hornbaker said. 'We underestimated our opponents and we didn't fight together.'
Kress believes that sporadic play has left the team at .500 in the MAC. He believes the team can be higher in the standings.
'We need to be more consistent,' Kress said. 'Traditionally we come out, we're solid the first couple of [sets] and when we get pushed, we haven't pushed back … sometimes we buckle and we cave in when we get pushed.'
With the encouragement, the team continues to work hard week-by-week to become even more of a threat in the MAC.
'My coaching philosophy is that we come out and do our best no matter what we're doing,' Kress said. 'Whether it's on the court, in the classroom, for the community service project or whatever. We always give it our best.'
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Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
