Here are some notes from Marquette volleyball’s (15-6, 9-1 Big East) latest undefeated week:
Ace(s) from the line
It is a — perhaps the — staple of Ryan Theis’ coaching philosophy to serve aggressively.
He emphasizes the importance of applying pressure from the service line in what feels like every post-win presser, and is quick to fault poor serving as a key shortcoming after most of Marquette’s losses.
Sunday night, Theis likely had few complaints about his team’s serving the past week — the few coming from Friday’s 9-ace 13-error statline.
In Saturday’s three sets against the Tigers, the Golden Eagles recorded a season-high 11 aces, only the third match this year in which they recorded double-digit aces.
They beat that number less than 24 hours late against the Hoyas, scoring 12 points from serves — for an average of four per set — thanks to seven different players.
Senior primary right side Ella Foti was Marquette’s best server this weekend, flying back to Milwaukee with eight to her name.
Ring Ring
This season it seems as though just as we think we’ve seen the best of Natalie Ring, we actually haven’t.
That’s because she ups the ante, raises the bar, beats the expectations — pick your adjective.
This week was no different, as Ring finished as the Golden Eagles’ leading killer twice.
The first time came in Tuesday’s sweep over the Panthers, in which she tied her career-best of 13 while hitting .400 (13-3-25).
“(Natalie’s) potential to score a ton of points is there and its just the matter of decision-making, when she has to go for it or keep it in play,” Theis said after the match. “I thought she’s been doing that efficiently in the last couple of weeks.”
Then on Saturday, Ring notched 12 kills with only one error on 27 attacks for her third-highest hitting percentage of the season (.407).
So far this season, the redshirt sophomore outside hitter is averaging 2.52 kills per set, nearly 4x the 0.68 she averaged as a first-year.
“I just felt a lot of support from my teammates, like Yadhi (Anchante) and I have really developed a connection over this season so far,” Ring said last week.
“I just always know my teammates are supporting me, they’re calling out my shots, and so just a lot of support from them.”
Jadyn Garrison sees action as libero
Before this weekend, senior Jadyn Garrison was the only Golden Eagle defensive specialist to not serve as libero.
The key word there is was, as Garrison put on the off-colored jersey for the first time this season against Seton Hall, and didn’t take it off for Marquette’s other two matches this weekend.
Against the Pirates, Garrison paced everyone with a career-high three service aces, also collecting two digs and earning her first and only assists this year. Saturday against Princeton she marked a season-most three digs before failing to record any in Sunday’s sweep over Georgetown.
She also finished the Golden Eagles’ sweep over University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Tuesday with two digs, though she was only a defensive specialist in that match.
This article was written by Jack Albright. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @JackAlbrightMU.
