The 2008-09 year was marked by many highlights in each of Bethel University's 18 varsity sports. Over the course of the summer, we will continue to relive those highlights sport-by-sport. We begin our series with volleyball.
Making it to the second round of the NCAA playoffs one season can be a tough act to follow the next. Such was the case for the 2008 Royals. While the 2007 team had it's share of storied success, the loss of several key players to graduation, including MIAC MVP Liz Glesne, forced the team to regroup.
The result proved to be a young team, both in terms of experience and age.
Jennifer Stoa (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and
Chelsea Falck (DeForest, Wis.) were the only two seniors on the squad, while
Kelly Otto (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) and
Bethany Shearer (Jr., Prior Lake, Minn.) were the only two juniors. This allowed several first and second year players such as
Casey Fregeau (So., Andover, Minn.),
Hannah Parks (So., Plymouth, Minn.), and
Nicole Wriedt (Fr., Pewaukee, Wis.) to step up and earn some significant playing time at the varsity level.
Highlights of the season included an early 3-1 win over then #22 nationally ranked Central College, which is also Head Coach Gretchen Hunt's alma mater, and an appearance at the Teri Clemens Invitational at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., featuring three top 10 nationally ranked teams.
During the conference season, Bethel forced nationally ranked St. Thomas to come from behind as the Royals won the first set 25-20, but eventually succumbed to the Tommies. In the second to last match of the season, Bethel faced nationally ranked Concordia-Moorhead and lost 3-0, but that's not the complete story. The real story was the thrilling second set, which ranks among the highest scoring in MIAC history. After falling 22-25 in the first set, Bethel led for a majority of the second set, but was forced to come from behind later on to tie it at 24-24. From that point on, there were 12 ties and eight lead changes before the Cobbers finally pulled out a 38-36 victory. That's right, 38-36. The season before, when rally scoring still had games going to 30 points, the score would have certainly been unusual, but not nearly as unusual now with the 25-point set in place. The roller coaster of a set had fans on their feet with groans for a missed point nearly as audible as the applause from the other side of the net. Falck led the team that night with 13.5 points on 13 kills and a block assist.
The Royals finished the 2008 season at 9-18 overall and 2-9 in conference play. They are scheduled to begin the 2009 season on the road against UW-River falls on Tuesday, September 1, at 7 p.m.
