Potential. Inexperience. Future. Bench player.
These are the words usually mentioned when discussing freshmen
athletes.
But three freshmen on the UCLA women’s volleyball team are
defying those conventions. Instead, they can best be described by
characteristics typically reserved for veteran players with years
of experience.
Team leader. Confident. Inspiration. Starter.
After only a month of collegiate competition, Jordan Smith,
Nellie Spicer and Kaitlin Sather have stepped into roles far
greater than anyone expected at this point in their young
careers.
The three freshmen have become fixtures in the Bruins’
starting lineup and players the team relies on the most. With Smith
as the team’s libero, Spicer as the setter, and Sather as
UCLA’s top hitter, they are vital to the Bruins success.
“They play a huge role on this team,” junior Nana
Meriwether said. “They’ve really stepped up and have
already done so much, and I think they’re a great addition to
the team.”
Starting every match isn’t something Smith, Spicer or
Sather expected, but each of them gladly welcomes the role they
have been asked to play.
“I had no idea that I would start, and I was completely
satisfied with just sitting on the bench and being a part of the
great environment here,” Smith said. “This season has
been a dream come true for me, and being able to start is
incredible.”
When five seniors graduated and two other players left the team
in the off-season, nobody knew what shape this year’s squad
would take.
One thing that was clear after the loss of All-American libero
Chrissie Zartman, All-American setter Krystal McFarland, and four
of the team’s top five hitters was that some of the freshmen
would have the opportunity to have a major impact on the team.
Smith, Spicer and Sather have been the ones to step up to the
challenge, consistently showing that they are capable of replacing
the departed players. All three players established themselves as
starters early in the season and have yet to relinquish the role,
leading the Bruins to a 9-5 record.
The player that has been the biggest surprise for UCLA has been
Smith, who came to the Bruins as a walk-on at the outside hitter
position. A few weeks before the start of the season, she changed
positions and began working as a libero.
“I didn’t have plans to be a libero at all,”
Smith said. “I assumed I would be a backup outside hitter and
would push other people to go harder and enlarge their game. When
coach told me to work on being a libero, I knew I would have to
work really hard in order to compete with the other players, but
playing defense my whole life has helped me a lot.”
Smith has definitely made the libero position her own, leading
the team with 160 digs. She is also continually improving, as
demonstrated by her 18 digs in only three games in UCLA’s win
over Oregon State last Saturday.
Her all-around talent was demonstrated during the second game of
that match when the Bruins scored 15 consecutive points on her
serve, a mark that came just two points shy of an NCAA record.
“Jordan is starting to be more assertive and more
commanding out on the court and she’s getting a lot more
comfortable as a libero,” UCLA coach Andy Banachowski said.
“It’s been somewhat of a surprise that she’s fit
into that role so well so quickly, but I think she wants it and
she’s showing it with her play.”
While it is difficult to replace Zartman, who set the Pac-10
career and single season records in digs last year, Smith has
already progressed to the point where she is one of the leaders on
the team who everyone can count on.
“Jordan is an example to all of us,” Meriwether
said. “She’s a really good passer and works really hard
in practice. She takes change really well and can absorb what the
coaches tell her to do and use it in the games.”
Another freshman who has filled a big hole left by a departed
All-American is Spicer, who has set the team in 50 of its 51 total
games.
She is averaging 11.98 set assists per game, only slightly off
from the 12.39 average sets McFarland gave the Bruins last
season.
“Nellie is a very talented setter and she’s adapted
to the college game very quickly,” Banachowski said.
“She’s really grown a lot in her confidence level as
far as running this team, and she is doing an excellent job of
setting the team right now.”
Like Smith, though, Spicer did not anticipate having such a
major role with the Bruins. Even with the extensive experience
gained from traveling all over the world with the USA Junior
National Team and being ranked as one of the top 10 seniors in the
country by PrepVolleyball.com, Spicer didn’t know how much
she would play for UCLA.
“I didn’t come in expecting anything, and I
didn’t think I would be starting,” Spicer said.
“I just planned on playing whatever and however much the
coaches wanted me to play. Playing on the international level
really helped me prepare for college, though, because I got
experience playing against such powerful players.”
Spicer provides multiple roles for the Bruins, as she is second
on the team in total digs and third on the team in aces.
She has also been improving steadily since the beginning of the
season in terms of her communication and control of the ball, and
set UCLA to a .358 attack percentage against Oregon State, which is
much higher than the season average of .231.
“Nellie adds so much to the team,” Smith said.
“She acts like she is a senior because she is encouraging and
takes control. She is always guiding the team and goes out every
day and is an amazing setter.”
With such a big role, many would think that the pressure would
be hard on Spicer. However, Spicer feels just the opposite and
enjoys the chance that she gets to lead the team.
“I feel just like the quarterback in football, always
touching the ball and choosing which player to set it to,”
Spicer said. “I don’t feel any pressure because I feel
so comfortable out on the court with all the girls supporting me
and making it easy to be a big part of the team.”
Leading the team in kills and aces, Sather is the third freshman
who has had a major impact on shaping the Bruins into the team they
have become. Her 4.04 kills per game average is much higher than
any player was able to achieve last year, making the argument that
UCLA has found an adequate replacement for the strong hitters that
left the team.
“Kaitlin is a great force on the court and has a great
attitude during the games,” Meriwether said. “She is a
great player who gets stuff done, and is definitely one of the
go-to players. I think she’s taking everything really well,
especially since she’s so young and she’s really
stepping up to lead this team.”
Missing three matches with a knee injury earlier in the season,
Sather has returned to her previous self, leading the Bruins with
15 kills against Oregon State.
“Kaitlin is such a power at the net that we haven’t
seen in years,” senior Nancy Barba said. “She’s
amazing and works really hard and adds a lot of character to the
team.”
Showing her great overall ability, Sather played well after
being moved from her usual spot to the opposite position for last
weekend’s games. She hit at a .414 clip against Oregon State,
her season high.
“Kaitlin has become a real viable threat for us in all six
rotations and is taking some very good swings out there,”
Banachowski said. “I think she has helped us keep a very good
balance to our offense in that we suddenly have become less
predictable because we don’t always have to go to the left
side anymore.”
Smith, Spicer and Sather have shaped the Bruins into a solid
contender as they themselves have developed and have provided UCLA
with considerable talent and leadership.
With such a strong core group of freshmen to build upon, the
Bruins’ future looks quite promising.
“We already have great chemistry as a group and are
improving every day,” Smith said. “This group of
freshmen that is getting experience now is going to completely
dominate as we get older.”