12 I Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010 Carpenter sees increased time over weekend By Jake Kaplan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Kristin Carpenter is more of a volleyball player than a natural setter. But, according to coach Russ Rose, she is exactly what the Penn State women’s volleyball team needs right now. The sophomore spent a majori ty of the time on the court as the Nittany Lions setter this past weekend when No. 1 Penn State swept Seton Hall, Colgate and Virginia Commonwealth at Rec Hall in the Hampton Inn Classic. The Lions improved their record to 6-0 on the season and extended their win streak to 108 consecutive matches. “Right now our energy is a lot better with Carp,” Rose said fol lowing Saturday’s night’s rout of VCU, which he called the Lions’ best match of the young season. “She digs a lot of balls. We need that, and she’s doing a nice job with that.” Carpenter played in eight of the Lions’ nine sets, tallying 90 assists and digging 18 balls in the three matches combined. Meanwhile, freshman Mikinzie Moydell played in just two sets, both of which were against Women’s By Andrew Robinson COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER The same thing happened last year. A team, nationally ranked and stacked with talent and potential, struggled after an early win and hit a nearly month-long slide. However, that team turned its sea son around and won its 12th straight Big Ten title. This year’s Penn State women’s soccer team thinks the same thing is about to happen. “I definitely think we’re close. It’s just that last piece to fit the puzzle for us to be clicking,” soph omore midfielder Christine Nairn said. “As soon as we click we’ll be fine, we have a lot of confidence in ourselves throughout the team. And although these three tough games have come and gone, we’re ready to wipe the slate clean and move on from there.” This weekend, the Nittany Lions struggled to put a consis tent game together and lost both of their matches, 1-0 to Yale on BLUE CHIP b Litre) presents Comfort Food Favorites & Induction Cookery! * Daily features may include Chicken and Dumplings, Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab Cake Sandwich, Keilbasa, Kraut & Potatoes, Sauteed Spicy Shrimp or Swedish Meatballs to name just a couple. Stop by and enjoy! Blue Chip Bistro On-Campus First floor, Smeal College's Business Bldg. Comer of Park Ave. and Shortlidge Rd. “Right now, our energy is a lot better with Carp. She digs a lot of balls. We need that.” Colgate on Saturday morning. Rose said Moydell, who started at setter in Penn State’s Aug. 27 season opener against North Carolina, did a nice job when she came in against the Raiders. The freshman, whose 6-foot build is more like a traditional setter’s, notched 23 assists in her time. Ultimately, though, Rose said the energy Carpenter brings on the floor has really helped the team, evident in Saturday’s night cap against VCU, as the sopho more recorded 39 assists and nine digs both weekend highs helping lead the team to wins of 25-13,25-12 and 25-12. Carpenter, who stands 5-foot-6, said she and Moydell bring differ ent things to the table, and the two setters can learn from each other. “I think she’s a very smart set ter, and I think she’s got great hands,” Carpenter said of Moydell. “I might be a little quick er, but she’s kind of smarter, so we balance each other out I think” Carpenter said she wishes soccer improving on-field connections Friday and 3-2 to Connecticut in overtime on Sunday. Coupled with last Sunday’s 2-1 loss to William & Mary, the Lions have lost three games in a row, all by one goal. The Lions had a simi lar streak last sea son, in which they lost three games by one goal in games spanning from Sept. 4-Sept. 11 However, the . Lions have had a Nairn chance to win every game, but the fact they haven’t developed a rhythm has been their downfall. The team worked on establish ing the right mindset last week in practice and coach Erica Walsh said the players are determined to change the direction of the sea son. “They approached me after [Sunday’s game] and said that they don’t think that it’s a lack of focus,” Walsh said. “It’s a sorting process, we’re a month into it and SPORTS Russ Rose Penn State women’s volleyball coach Moydell got the opportunity to do what she did as a freshman last year study under Alisha Glass, a three-time national champion and one of the best setters in Penn State history. “Even though I didn’t set at all last year, I had a girl that was three years of experience ahead of me,” said Carpenter, who played defensive specialist in 2009. “And that was just good to look up to.” But Glass has graduated, leav ing Carpenter and Moydell in charge of the offense a role Carpenter doesn’t see only one of the athletes filling. “I think we’re going to be using both of us this season,” Carpenter said. To e-mail reporter: jyksl42@psu.edu oRead more about Penn State's women’s volleyball team ON THE on ttie Can You Dig It? BLOG blog: psucollegian.com technically still in preseason, so right now they understand it’s about getting better and they’re doing a good job of putting them selves together.” Senior co-captain Megan Monroig agreed not being on the same page has led to the losing slide. The defender said the players thought the loss to William & Mary would be an anomaly, but the los ing streak just continued. Unlike last year, this year’s team is built on a young core and Monroig said having players changing roles and adapting has contributed to the slow chemistry. With so many freshmen playing key roles, Monroig said they are all but asked to be upperclassmen. “What it comes down to is hav ing people to grind out the wins,” Monroig said. “Because they have so much inexperience we need to learn that, while we want to win, but just because we show up and are trying doesn’t mean we’re going to win. We need to be able to grind out those wins and get the results.” Alumni Hall on Tues. Sept. 7th from 10am-2pm 129 A HUB on Wed. - Fri. from 10am-2pm L i Kelsey Morns'Collegian Katie Slay (16) sets the ball during Saturday's game versus VCU Nairn said by having a strong week of training and getting more playing time, the team will find the missing pieces and build rhythm. In training, Monroig said it would be a matter of the players being more accountable with each other and not simply going through the motions. Even in training, Monroig said just going in hard on a routine tackle could be something to promote the right mindset. And with two strong opponents in Washington and No. 4 Portland The Daily Collegian awaiting in Portland, Ore. this weekend, Monroig thinks this trip could be the time for the team to start its turnaround. “That's where we're at right now in our mentality after losing to three non-ranked opponents,” Monroig said. "It’s a big weekend for us, we’re really excited to go out there and hopefully do well and find what we need to find to get our season going again." To e-mail reporter: adrso79@psu.edu r , f . i Celebrate with Ml your Zeno's Seasoned Favorites * // Bottle Shop Good Brvws-Quick ■l.od!ar Fi»!d 'ues, Sept. 14th Doors: 6:30p Show: 8:3
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