It begins every match, every game, every point, yet, for the MSU volleyball team, serving seemed to be hurting them rather than helping them - until recently.
The Spartans have become more consistent with where and how they are serving, and that is because they have been more aggressive.
"Consistent serving helps make the blockers' and the defensive players' jobs easier," sophomore setter Mickey Davis said. "With the record we have right now, we have to be aggressive, and that shows through our serving."
Davis has led the way with a wicked jump serve that seems to change direction after it gets to the net almost every time. As a back-up setter to senior co-captain Nikki Colson, Davis was just looking for a way to help the team out and get playing time. Her jump serve has allowed her to do just that, and head coach Chuck Erbe knows just how important it's been.
"Mickey is proving to be a huge factor with her jump serve," Erbe said. "The thing that we've got to do with Mick is stay consistent with (the jump serve), because we don't need aces, but we don't need errors either. She can move it around, and that puts a lot of pressure on a team."
Davis is not the only one who has been serving well - almost everyone has picked up their game when it comes to toeing the line and letting it fly.
Colson has been able to use a short serve, deep serve and, at times, a jump serve. With tall blockers on the front line during Colson's service the team has been able to score when she serves.
"Everybody has a specific serve that they've mastered, and sometimes Todd (Dagenais, MSU's assistant coach) will ask someone to go out of their range if a particular spot needs to be served," Davis said.
MSU's serve will be very important this weekend as they travel to Ohio State and Penn State. The Buckeyes have one of the best outside hitters in the country in junior Stacey Gordon.
"She's a really smart hitter," sophomore Brooke Langston said. "She's used to seeing double and triple blocks, so that is nothing new to her, but if we can get solid double and triple blocks on her with our size, we should be OK."
First place Penn State beat the Spartans 3-2 in their first meeting, and the Spartans will need to serve well to keep a very good Nittany Lions team off balance. They didn't serve well in the first meeting.
Down, but not out
Junior outside hitter Michelle Kopka was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV University Division women's volleyball team Thursday. Kopka has a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a physics major and is eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Kopka started 11 matches before sitting out for the season with a back injury.
