Long Beach State women’s volleyball coach Brian Gimmillaro has his hands full tonight, as his injury-depleted 49ers open their season with a doubleheader against Rutgers and UNLV. Photos by Ryan ZumMallen
It may still be August but the sporting women of the Beach will get the attention of coaches Brian Gimmillaro and Mauricio Ingrassia today as they try get passing grades even before the actual semester begins. The Long Beach State women’s volleyball team, loaded with fine-looking freshmen, are the hosts for four Baden Classic matches starting at 1:30pm Friday, with an afternoon contest against Rutgers, then a shower and smoothies (or what ever the young people like), and then back to the Mid for a 7:00pm test with UNLV. Same sort of double header on Saturday, playing Sacred Heart just after breakfast (10:00am) and then the best of the weekend in #25-ranked Saint Mary’s at 7:00pm or so.
The volleyball line-up is a work in progress, negotiating playing time with trainers and orthopedic consultants. Two famous faces from last year, All-Big West Conference talents Jocelyn Neely (outside hitter) and Ashley Lee (setter) sat out the Alumni exhibition last weekend and the Avatar-like Haleigh Hampton (pictured right) left the middle blocking position in game two because of a continuing nerve problem in her foot. Lee and Hampton may see some court time but look for Delainey Aigner-Swesey to hit for the LB’s and 17-year old Puerto Rican star Ashley Vazquez to get some more setting time.
“It’s going to be very difficult for a freshman setter to come in and run the team in a three-week period, especially because she’s only run it for four days,” said Gimmillaro on Thursday afternoon. The 26-year Long Beach State head coach explained that the learning curve is steeper because the 49ers run a very complex offensive system.
“You can’t learn it in three weeks,” he said. “No matter how talented you are. What we do is far more difficult than what these players have ever seen. The skill level is more difficult, the responsibility is more difficult and the intricacy of the teamwork is much more difficult than they’ve experienced.”
With both Neely and Lee out, Gimmillaro has been forced to give extended playing time to three freshmen far before he would like to put that burden on them. The coaching staff expected Hampton to help right away, he said, but as a supporting member and not in the spotlight role that she’ll play this weekend. While the plan was for Vazquez (pictured right) to learn to run the offense from the sidelines this year, she’ll be thrown into the fire as well.
“The other side of this is Ashley Vasquez is a great kid, and very calm,” he says. “That demeanor allows her to learn a little quicker and stay under control, because there’s so much stuff spinning around these kids’ heads that it’s very hard.”
Oddly the one player that Gimmillaro loaned to the alums, Chelsea Cabrajac, may have won a spot by finding some holes in the varsity defense… Other subs will come from Kiri Hirini (versatile New Zealander), Gabby Pulig and Whitney Wilkerson.
Of course there is some known star power in junior libero Lauren Minkel and All-World all-around star Caitlin Ledoux. Back row hustlers Laura Schuck (a senior defensive specialist) and Libby Fontanilla (DS) will dig and pass and Michele Osunbor (middle blocker) is better than ever.
Deep in the heart of Texas, the Beach women’s soccer team will face nationally ranked foes Washington State and Virginia Tech as part of the Aggieland Invitational Tournament, hosted by Texas A&M. The ‘Niner press notes will impress their foes after the Beach booters picked up their first win of the season, a taut 1-0 victory at Fresno State. The score came from the Missing Link, forward Nadia Link, who scored her first career goal in the closing minutes. The 49ers play the WSU Cougars (1-1) Friday at 3:00pm then come back to work at the crack of dawn Sunday for an 8:30am showdown against the Hokies (2-0). While the ‘Niners did not qualify, both opponents advanced last year in the NCAAs.
Less Plus And More Dust
The baseball news ain’t all good this weekend especially since second base candidate Derek Legg has indicated that he will transfer to Fullerton and redshirt awaiting the 2012 season… he hit a modest .228 and just nine RBIs and frankly the new look ‘Niners need more production… BTW, the management contract between the U and the City has now been signed and yes the beer will again be sold… that beverage got in the news the other day when The Golden League baseball St. George, Utah franchise ceased operation; “lack of beer sales blamed”, translated, the local government wouldn’t allow them to sell the stuff… So you need some conference merger rumors and student fee rumors? Okay, remember that controversial student athletic fee adopted by the University of Hawaii, the $1.85 million windfall designed to help the athletic department take a big step toward solvency?… Islanders expect that if the MWC and WAC suffer in the upcoming shake-ups the new money will be needed to offer travel subsidies, maybe to the Big West, if the Bows make that move (although baseball at least gives you’re a four game series for your plane ticket)… In the wildly popular Where Are They Dept. we feature ex-Dirtbag Brandon Hyde who moved up to bench coach and infield coordinator for the Florida Marlins’… Hyde served as a coach for Long Beach State in the 2002 season, when the team finished 39-21 and was eliminated by Stanford in the College World Series.
Just A Little More Plus
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor hit everything back last Saturday including my sneaky question… Taking to the media I asked just after her team took a 2-1 win INSIDE would she like to re-visit the idea of playing on the six person USA team at the Olympic Games in London?… “I have not even thought about London,” It’s not even on my radar.”… On Ms. Hampton who has a fancy new shoe, “Haleigh played OK for a little bit,” head coach Brian Gimmillaro said. “Delainey did fairly well for her first-ever [match].”… Now about the alums, the happiest face in the gold tee shirts had to be Marcy Whistler Lees who traveled down with daughter Morgan in tow to team with Misty and other legends like Jenn Snyder… Marcy works with “high wealth” clients as a financial advisor for Ameriprise… She made the all conference lists in 1988 transferring in from USC (after prepping at Wilson High)… As part of the marriage contract with Mr. Lees she insisted on a sand volleyball court which now sits in the middle of a four acre farm around New Castle, CA… She is a v-ball mom for the Del Oro Golden Eagles where Morgan (15) and Andreas (13)attend… Her son was named after Mr. Lees VB pal Andreas Koch… Mr. Koch and company may have been residents at the well known party house of the day on the corner of Palo Verde and Atherton but police reports are so scarce.
Our closing quote is from an anonymous Atlanta attorney who misses football so bad he calculated that since the last time his favorite team donned their uniforms, in January, the federal government has spent over $3 trillion with the federal deficit increasing to $13.3 trillion; the Feds sued the state of Arizona on immigration; and various states have sued the United States of America to stop healthcare legislation. Ouch, that’s why we need sports.
Parting Shot
On a team that’s already been bitten by the injury bug, returning All-Big West outside hitter Caitlin Ledoux will be one of Long Beach State’s most dangerous weapons this weekend.