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Grace's Melissa Rants sets the ball Wednesday in the opener against Tri-State. - Photo by GARY NIETER, Times-Union
WINONA LAKE - Step one for the Grace volleyball team this year - forget about last year.
But that may be tougher said than done considering in 1995, the Lancers went 44-5 and won the NCCAA national title. That was, as they say, all in the past.
Although the Lancers return a bulk of that team from a year ago, Grace coach Candace Moats is looking for a clean slate for 1996. That was not quite accomplished in the opening match against Tri-State (a 15-8, 15-10, 15-5 win) Wednesday, but this is a process.
"I think they need to relax because I think there is too much expectations that they are putting on themselves to defend this last year's status," Moats said. "There have been some changes on the team and there are some people in different positions, and it is going to take a little while to read each other and know defensive positions. That is going to take a process to get through.
"The key will be to stay with the process and not want to be there immediately from where we were before," she said. "They need to be OK with the process and not put a lot of pressure on us to be at this level of play that we aren't right now."
The pressure, the expectations are inevitable for this team. Big hitters like Rebecca Wahlstrom, Stacey Jackson and Megan Lash, plus steady-as-a-rock setter Melissa Rants, all returned this year.
People expect this team to not only duplicate last year's accomplishments, but go past them. And judging by the excited crowd that showed up at Lancer Gym for the first match, everybody else knows how good this team can be.
"This year is a season itself. It is not a '95 repeat," Moats said. "It is a new season and there are new people and new positions and new strategies.
"It is critical to just play our game and not let the expectations of the community, of Grace, of ourselves dictate the results," she said.
The Lancers came out against Tri-State, a team with 10 freshmen on the roster, looking to strut their stuff right away. And with a combination of the Lancers trying too hard and Tri-State throwing everything they had at Grace, it was a struggle early on for Grace.
Tri-State held an 8-7 lead in the first game before the Lancers scored the final eight points of the game.
Game two was even tougher for the Lancers. Because of some fired up serving from Tri-State, the Lancers found themselves in an 11-4 hole. That was before Jackson went to work.
Her kill, a rocket that caromed off a Tri-State and into the upper deck at the gym, got the Lancers' emotions going. The Lancers road the emotional ride into 11 straight points, enough to win game two.
Game three was Grace jump out to an early lead and cruise to the 15-5 win.
Despite having as much youth as they did, Tri-State showed what the Lancers will face all season with teams giving it their best each match.
"Everybody has the potential to beat us because of that reason," Moats said. "We are constantly on the defense. That is real hard mentally. Tri-State served incredibly well. They are good servers.
"I don't care if she (Tri-State coach Natalie Alred) has no players," she said. "She is a coach that will find a way to get to the weakness of another team. I am always nervous when I play her."
Wahlstrom led the attack for the Lancers with 23 kills and Jackson added nine and 20 digs, while Lash had five kills. Rants directed the offensive attack with 50 assists.
Grace (1-0) is at the Aquinas Tournament in Grand Rapids, Mich. Friday and Saturday.
