SPORI
10 I Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010
Serve
leading
to aces
By Jake Kaplan
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Toss it and toss it high
and then explode into the ball.
That is exactly what Alyssa
D’Errico, the
senior libero on
the No. 1 Penn WOMEN’S
State women’s VOLLEYBALL
volleyball team,
does every time
she serves the ball over the net
and into the hands of the oppos
ing defenses or onto the floor on
the other side of the court.
D’Errico has what teammate
Katie Kabbes called “one of the
toughest jump serves in the
country.” And she has used it
effectively so far this season.
After leading the Nittany Lions
with 62 aces in 2009, D’Errico
has 15 service aces so far this
season, 0.83 per set. The next
highest total on the team is a
mere four.
“It’s a dominating serve,”
Kabbes said.
For comparison, the highest
total on No. 4 Florida (5-0), which
Penn State will face Friday night
as part of the Nike Big Four
Volleyball Classic in Gainesville,
Fla., is only nine service aces.
A Byron, N.Y, native, D’Errico
said she learned the jump serve
from her club coaches while she
was in high school, when she
was an outside hitter. Having the
experience as a hitter helped
her learn all the angles, the dif
ferent types of shots and to
develop control, which she then
adapted into her serve.
The toss is an important
aspect of the serve, D’Errico
said. When she tosses the ball up
in the air, it almost seems as if
the ball is halfway to smacking
against the high rafters of Rec
Hall.
“It's comparable to ping pong
and tennis,” said D’Errico, who
added it took a lot of time and
See D’ERRICO, Page 14.
Collegian file photo
D’Errico unleashes a serve.
McElroy has sights set on perfection
By Audrey Snyder
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
He was in the eighth grade, but
Alabama quarterback Greg
McElroy will never forget the day
he lost his last
fc r£d B T six FOOTBALL
headini ; nto the
leacm.g into .ae
fourth quarter, a young McElroy
was trying to lead his middle
school team to victory against
Cross Timbers.
But just as the young quarter
back was orchestrating a fourth
quarter drive, his center snapped
the ball over his head, leaving
LIN E U P
SPORTS ON TV
Philadelphia vs. Florida
7:05 tonight, CSN
Pittsburgh vs. Atlata
7:05 tonight, FSN
TRIVIA
Q: Before Reggie Bush, who was the
last USC tailback to win the Heisman?
Tuesday's answer 1984 and 1998.
Senior linebacker Chris Colasanti (48) takes down a Youngstown State running back during Saturday’s victory against the Penguins.
Colasanti
By Andrew J. Cassavell
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
No matter who starts at run- Heisman winner Mark Ingram career-high 13 tackles in
ning back for Alabama this week- will be facing a challenge of their Saturday’s win against
end, Chris Colasanti understands own, Colasanti said, when the two Youngstown State, said
it will be a chal- tailbacks will take on a deep Penn Alabama’s speed on offense will
lenge for the Penn ' State linebacking group that present a task he hasn’t faced as a
State linebacking FOOTBALL rotates five players. starter.
corps. ===== “Not only from a personal He added, however,
The senior mid- standpoint, but from a defense’s Richardson’s quickness doesn’t
die linebacker, however, prefers to standpoint, I just feel like as a necessarily need to be neutralized
look at the head-to-head position- defense we’re just looking for- by the linebackers’quickness,
al matchup in a different way. ward to the opportunity,” “His speed is definitely con-
Cost’s efforts paying off
By Andrew Robinson
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
Drew Cost’s new coach quick
ly learned what Cost’s team
mates already knew the mid
fielder can play.
But what
jiui what
coach Bob MEN’S
Warming wants SOCCER
this year is start
using his talent to grab people’s
attention. Through the first two
games of the season, he S done Andrew Dunheimer/Collegian
just that. Drew Cost (left) chases the ball.
I told him he s gotta catch ' '
your eye more when he’s on the
field,” Wanning said. he’s really tried to do that.”
“He’s gotta catch even the In two games for the Penn
casual fan’s eye when he’s on the State men’s soccer team, Cost
field and he can do that by being has tallied two assists and one
more dynamic and, to his credit, goal, a fair start for any offensive
McElroy with the bitter taste of
defeat.
“We conceded a safety and we
ended up losing 8-6,” McElroy
said. “It was a pretty disappoint
ing afternoon. But fortunately for
me, I haven’t had that same feel
ing in quite some time, and hope
fully not any time soon.”
The Crimson Tide quarterback
enters Saturday’s game against
Penn State with a streak of 31 con
secutive wins as a starter, his last
loss coming during his middle
school days.
Former Penn State quarterback
John Shaffer knows a thing or two
about winning streaks.
QUICK HITS (AP)
Revis returns to practice
Darrelle Revis is on the practice field for
the New York Jets, a day after the All-Pro
comerback signed a four-year deal that
ended his 36-day holdout
Coach Rex Ryan says Revis is expected
to be ready to play in the Jets’ season open
er next Monday night at home against
Baltimore.
Revis caught a pass during warmups
Tuesday and received some mock cheers
from the other defensive backs. He also
worked with defensive backs coach Dennis
Thurman on individual work during special
teams drills.
Revis agreed to the deal Sunday night
and signed Monday afternoon.
aiming at Alabama
Trent Richardson and —if he Colasanti said. “We’re gonna be
recovers from his knee injury by ready.”
the 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday Colasanti, who recorded a
Shaffer led the Nittany lions to
a national championship during
the 1986 season and finished his
football career with a 66-1 record,
dating back to his wins as a sev
enth grader.
The link Shaffer found between
his success and McElroy’s is
made up of three components:
good teammates, great intelli
gence and a whole lot of confi
dence.
“You do what you’re told to do,
and you do what the coaches ask
you to do,” Shaffer said.
“It’s about understanding your
role and realizing that no
See MCELROY, Page 14.
McNabb to start Sunday
Donovan McNabb said Tuesday his
sprained ankle isn’t 100 percent, but it won’t
keep him from starting the Washington
Redskins’ opener Sunday night against the
Dallas Cowboys.
“Yes, I will be starting this weekend,”
McNabb told ESPN9BO. “And I look forward
to it.”
McNabb sprained his left ankle 2M> weeks
ago in a preseason game against
Baltimore. McNabb said die injury isn’t
classified as a high ankle sprain the
more severe type that has more significant
ligament damage and a longer recovery
time but he said it’s “very close to it.” He
said he’s getting multiple treatments each
day.
“Is it 100 percent? N 0.... But it’s getting
better,” he said.
player. But consider all of last
year Cost had only two assists
and three goals, he’s on pace for
a breakout year in the points col
umn.
Cost has moved up in the mid
field, playing more forward than
he did in the past, but he doesn’t
feel he’s lost any of his defensive
prowess. Playing further up,
however, has allowed the senior
to add more character to his
game, something Warming
wanted him to do.
“The thing we’ve been empha
sizing with him is he’s got to be
more dynamic,” Warming said.
“He’s embraced that, he’s trying
to be more dynamic, to show his
athleticism and show his quick
ness and sharpness.”
Early in the season during
See COST, Page 14.
Greg McElroy runs onto the field
before last Saturday’s game.
The Daily Collegian
ceming,” Colasanti said. “But I
think as a defense we’re gonna be
ready. We’re gonna be well pre
pared with our scouting report.
We’ll know what they’re gonna do,
how they’re gonna use him.”
Al Fracassa, Colasanti’s aoach
at Brother Rice High School in
Michigan, noted his former play
er’s work ethic and preparation,
saying it makes him “play quicker
than he is.”
“The more you watch your
See COLASANTI, Page 14.
Shots, Shots, Shots
The Penn State men’s soccer
team heavily outshot its
opponents in last weekend’s
two victories.
On target
Source: GoPi
Shots
leading to
success
By Mike Still
COLLEGIAN STAF WRITER
It’s a statistic Bob Warming
can’t hear enough, music to his
ears.
The Penn ==
State men’s soc- MEN’S
cer coach SOCCER
watched his _______
team outshoot
its opponents 41-7 in two contests
this past weekend in a 5-0 rout of
Buffolo on Sept. 3 and a 1-0 victo
ry over the College of Charleston
on Sept. 5.
Warming feels the statistic not
only shows the Lions’ dominance
in the possession game over the
weekend but is a true testament
See SHOTS, Page 14.
Broncos still have work to do
After Boise State beat the annually over
rated Virginia Tech Hokies Monday night,
fans and media alike have been assuming
the Broncos’ slot in January’s national
championship game.
But such a prediction is largely prema
ture considering the landmines that still
remain on the BSU schedule.
In two weeks, the blue turf boys ho .t ■,
talented Oregon State team. In early
November, they host a Hawai’i team with a
pass attaqk that will certainly be clicking
by then. And two weeks after that, a dan
gerous Fresno State team comes to town.
Finishing a season undefeated is no
fluke. But you have to do it first.
tonents
Angel Perricone/Collegian