Sept. 6, 2011
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - In the days leading up to the most significant volleyball victory in program history, UCF sophomore middle blocker Nichole Riedel let everyone in on a little secret.
``I feel like deep down in my heart that this team can be really good,'' Riedel said with a knowing smile.
A UCF volleyball team that is looking to crack into the upper echelon of Conference USA and potentially make the NCAA Tournament this season, proved Riedel to be accurate with one of the most memorable weekends in program history. UCF not only swept third-ranked Southern California, but also rolled through the FGCU Homewood Suites Invitational as champions with three-straight wins. The big victory against USC and the three-straight wins allowed UCF to improve to 5-1 on the season, and look very much like a team on a mission.
The goals for this season are lofty ones, and for now at least, anything seems possible for the Knights.
``I think we can definitely be in that top four in our league, but our goal is to be even higher than that and win it,'' standout sophomore Angelica Crump said. ``One of the main goals for this team is to get to the NCAAs and we feel like it's something we can reach because we have the talent and skills to do it. We had it before, but things are gelling so much better now.''
That was evident in how UCF played confidently from start to finish in their surprisingly one-sided rout of USC. UCF got 15 kills each from Evijia Vilde and Crump and some all-around brilliance from Kayla Keller and Rachel Vukson with double doubles. Keller, who was making her collegiate debut, had 12 kills and 13 digs, while Vukson added 42 assists and 10 digs in the historic victory for the Knights.
The confident, aggressive play was a carryover of the intensity and attention to detail that head coach Todd Dagenais saw early in preseason workouts. In this team, he sees a hunger and a deep-seeded belief that it can accomplish big things this season.
``There's a pretty amazing tenacity in practice and that's something that we've been waiting to see,'' Dagenais said. ``That doesn't come until you are comfortable with who you are, what your role is and the system that's being run. Once you feel that comfort level, you can go for it. And that's the tenacity that we're seeing and we're seeing it on both sides of the net.
``We've have some experienced returners with some precocious newcomers,'' Dagenais continued. ``Our young players just aren't scared because they've come from a pretty high level of club backgrounds and playing for heady accolades. So I really think we have a good mix of players on this team.''
That mix of players is led by the 6-foot-3 Crump, who is as athletic as almost any player in the country. She was named the MVP of the tourney in Fort Myers last weekend after recording 37 kills in three matches. Dagenais and the coaching staff have worked with Crump to change her attack zone to put her in better position to score this season. She is filling the void left by the graduation of Kristin Fisher, and so far she's been just the kind of dazzling playmaker the team has sought.
``I'm more of a leader on the court now and I get more balls now. It's not like more pressure, but I know that Kristin had a strong role on the team and I want to fill that same role,'' said Crump, an Atlanta native, who has 82 kills now in six games. ``There are a lot of eyes on me now. When we're struggling I'm the one now who has to speak up and say, `Come on team, let's get going.' I have to help us keep the points rolling. There's a little bit of pressure on me, but I try not to think about it.''
Riedel, who has 22 kills and 11 blocks so far in six games, said her team rarely hits the court these days without thinking about the goals of a C-USA title or a NCAA berth. She feels that even though the Knights are a young team with just one senior that they are ready to challenge veteran squads from Tulsa, SMU and Houston. She said the strong early-season showing should send a message to everyone that UCF is ready to join C-USA's elite this season and vie for a spot in the NCAA tourney.
``It's important getting off to a fast start in order to show everyone that we're here to play good volleyball and that we're trying to win our conference this year. We want to get going from the get go the right way,'' Riedel said. ``I really think we can win the conference. That's our goal. We're working hard to do that, and we all think it's a possibility.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.