After an upstart 2011 season featuring a young roster, UMass Lowell volleyball looks to use that experience and maturity as they take the next step in 2012.

The River Hawks finished with a 13-11 record last season, tied for seventh in the Northeast-10. The biggest indicator of progress came in the conference playoffs where eighth-seeded UMass Lowell knocked off top-ranked New Haven—then undefeated against conference opponents—in four sets to advance to the NE-10 Tournament Semifinals.

Returning 12 players from last year, including four sophomores and six juniors, the River Hawks will use speed and athleticism as they strive to meet expectations as a team on the rise.

“We are a year older and most of the players are a year better, so I expect our numbers to be better,” said head coach Karen McNulty. “I'm looking to overcome last season's inconsistency, I'm looking to be better than that and I think we should be. I don't know if we can be as good as we were against New Haven last year, but I know that we can be better consistently than last year.”

Those expectations are both internal and external as the coaches of the NE-10 voted UMass Lowell to finish in a tie for fifth in the annual Preseason Poll.
 
New Faces on the Attack
 
The River Hawks have some work to do to replicate last season's offense after graduating 349 kills (32.9% of team's total) in then-seniors Lea Freeman and Trina Carroll.

UMass Lowell does return some strong hitters from last season in junior Brooke Peterson (Del Mar, Calif.) and sophomores Hannah Rey (San Diego, Calif.) and Anisa Smith (Moraga, Calif.). That group each eclipsed the 100-kill plateau and combined for 493 total.

“A lot is hinging on our outside attacking and it's something we've worked hard on this offseason,” said McNulty. “They did a very good job and if they can keep it up, we'll be in good shape.”

What will determine whether the offense can reach the next level is a trio stepping into more prominent roles: sophomores Sierra Brown (San Diego, Calif.) and Ella Merrill (Bermuda Dunes, Calif.) and junior Jamie Muntz (West Hartford, Conn.).

Merrill showed flashes of power in 2011, knocking down 88 kills at a rate of 1.60 kills per set—third best among returnees.

The duo of Brown and Muntz will be asked to help fill the void in the middle left by Freeman and Carroll. Brown saw action in 19 matches last season, scoring 51 kills (1.04 kps), while Muntz will enjoy an increase in playing time in 2012 after only seeing time in nine matches a year ago (seven kills).

Ultimately the key to any volleyball attack starts with the passing game, built around junior libero Carolyn Eddy (Dracut, Mass.) and senior setter Kristina Wiltjer (Temecula, Calif.). The duo has spent two full seasons working together and the comfort level and trust between the pair should be at an all-time high.

Wiltjer totaled 721 assists last season with a career-best 8.58 assists per set. She also led the River Hawks with 34 service aces, while contributing 68 kills from the set position, making her a dynamic player in the team's attack.

“It's her senior year and she's at a good place physically to have a good season,” McNulty said of Wiltjer. “I know what she's capable of and what this team is capable of and if we can perform consistently, we're going to be in good shape.”
 
Digging In
 
On defense, UMass Lowell looks to counter a decrease in size with an increase of speed and athleticism. The River Hawks return just 53.2% of their total blocks (145 of 273), but welcome back 92.1% of their digs (1231 of 1338).

“Athletically we should be a better team,” said McNulty. “Defensively we're going to be a better team in the back row—not necessarily blocking because we're going to be smaller. We're going to look to our back row defenders to play more balls.”

A vital component to the passing game, Eddy's true value comes in her ability to keep rallies alive. Eddy totaled 270 digs last season, second only to Rey's 292, and averaged 3.07 digs per set. As a rookie in 2010, Eddy recorded 437 digs before defenses recognized the benefits of keeping the ball away from the rock-steady libero.

The River Hawks other senior, Ashley Kostka (Quincy, Mass.), will also play a role in the strong core of back row defenders. Kostka is a reliable server and has progressed as a defensive specialist.

In the blocking game, UMass Lowell's top returner is Smith, who finished with 46 total blocks a year ago. This is where coach McNulty looks to see the biggest development of new middle-hitters Brown and Muntz.

In limited action in 2011, Brown recorded 0.35 blocks per set—fourth best on the team—and 17 total blocks.
 
First Serve
 
With so much talent in the sophomore and junior class, the future looks bright for the River Hawks. It is a promise of success that UMass Lowell is eager to see develop.

The first test begins on Tuesday as the River Hawks host the school's longtime rival Merrimack College at 7 p.m. in the Costello Gym. The coaching staff is eager to see if the team can take the next step this season and realize the potential that lies within.