The UC Clermont Lady Cougars are trying to extend the program’s consecutive streak of appearances in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament to nine this season with some new faces taking the lead.

The UC Clermont Lady Cougars are trying to extend the program’s consecutive streak of appearances in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament to nine this season with some new faces taking the lead.
By Chris Chaney
Sun staff

If confidence breeds winning and in turn, winning breeds confidence, as professional golfer Hubert Green once said, then the UC Clermont women’s volleyball team must feel good about making their ninth consecutive United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Tournament this season.

Head coach Joe Harpring has a new challenge on his hands as the Lady Cougars graduated a senior class that featured First Team All-American Becca Walton and Second Team All-American Heather Rowland.

“We lost quite a few players from last year’s team and several of the returning players are switching positions this year,” Harpring said. “I honestly don’t know who will be key yet. In our (three) games so far, different players have come forward and led the team statistically.

“I think our strengths will be defense and serving. Our offense is improving and seems to be balanced. In our opening game five set loss to Marygrove College, four different hitters reached double figures in kills.”

That unique blend of talent is something that UC Clermont will depend upon as they embark on a schedule that features a large quantity of athletic scholarship-awarding schools — which Clermont is not — because the Lady Cougars have no conference affiliation this season.

“The schedule this year is challenging,” Harpring explained. “Most of our opponents are scholarship schools. While this means we won’t have any easy games, it will also help us prepare for the teams we would see at Nationals.”

That prep work got underway with the opening game against perennial USCAA National Tournament qualifier, Marygrove. The Lady Mustangs were the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament last year and finished third in the event.

Clermont took Marygrove to five sets, but fell 21-25, 25-23, 24-26, 25-15, 15-11. The strong match to start the season wasn’t the ideal result, but there were signs shown by the Lady Cougars that left Harpring optimistic.

“I’m encouraged by how well we played against them,” Harpring said. “I don’t believe in moral victories, but I think we learned much in taking them to five sets before losing and I think that experience will give us confidence. Of course, we will have to win a bunch of these games to get a bid.”

Harpring’s squad took the next step in that direction by dominating their next two opponents, Ohio State University – Newark and Miami University – Hamilton. The Lady Cougars beat OSU – Newark in straight sets, not giving up more than 17 points in a game, and followed that up with a four-set win over MU – Hamilton.

The improving and balanced offense Harpring described is headlined by a quartet of intimidators at the net. Ashley Dundes, Kaitlyn Miller, Amber Lawrence and Kiley Collins are all over 25 kills in just three matches with the vast majority of the assists coming from Alex Robb.

Taylor Herrmann is heading up the defensive effort, racking up 59 digs in the three opening matches. Dundes, Samantha Gilbert, Kasey Arnett, Robb and Kasey York are also helping out.

Harpring reiterated that he’s been pleasantly surprised by what he has seen from his team in terms of adaptation of new roles and with that selfless sacrifice, he expects the team to continue to improve going forward.

“I am enjoying working with this group,” he said. “They have a real desire to win and to improve. They go all out every practice and they have accepted the roles the team needs them to assume. That kind of work ethic and willingness to sacrifice can serve a team well.”

The Lady Cougars are back in action on Saturday, Sept. 6 in a tri-match at Berea College where they will face the host school as well as West Virginia Tech. Clermont will be back on campus on Friday, Sept. 12 when they host Miami University – Middletown at 6 p.m.