In Focus: Through Early Adversity Huskies ‘Learned At A Pretty High Rate’
September 20, 2016 | General, Volleyball
Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
Traveling 13,000 miles over during the season's first month provides a unique set of challenges. Throw in some fresh faces and the adversity becomes a little more pronounced.
But, despite the difficulties, Washington's volleyball team heads into Pac-12 play boasting an unblemished record (10-0) with Washington State traveling across the state for a match at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
So far so good, right?
"If according to plan means unexpected adversity, we got what we asked for," coach Keegan Cook said with a laugh.
With six newcomers – five freshmen – working their way into Washington's system, Cook knew there would be challenges. He knew it would take time and, at times, with the new faces and tough travel, there were moments when the coach asked himself, "did we bite off more than we can chew here?"
But the Huskies have proven to be resilient so far. They overcame the travel and a couple of five-set matches to maintain a zero in the loss column.
"All in all, I think we learned at a pretty high rate," Cook said. "Over the course of four weeks we're a lot better than we were when we started that process. It all seems like a good idea now that we're doing OK.
"We've had some great matches. We've stretched ourselves for sure."
The biggest key for the Huskies so far this season is they've been excellent what Cook called "critical moments."
In the fifth game of a match, with a win hanging in the balance, Washington has been at its best.
"We've got some good intangibles when the game is close, when the stakes are high," Cook said.
However, the most important part of late-match success is to help the Huskies improve in ways that prevent those moments from becoming a regular occurrence.
"We're just trying to get to that point where we don't necessarily have to find ourselves in those situations as often," Cook said. "We can be a little more disciplined, but we know that, when it's a little gnarly, we're still in it."
Crissy Jones has been a force for the Huskies so far, having continued an upward climb that saw her points-per-set average go from 1.98 as a freshman to 2.58 last year – she was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection – and up to 4.33 points-per-set so far this season. She is also the team's best server.
"Her role expanded a lot this year and she worked hard this spring to be able to handle that," Cook said. "She's doing a great job. She's attacking from all over the court."
And, while Jones has blossomed into a leading role, middle blocker Kara Bajema has been an early season surprise, even earning the team's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Week Award since 2014.
"She was recruited as an outside hitter," Cook said. "We had to throw her into a new position she's never played just by necessity and she's kind of taken to it and really learned at a really high rate."
While Washington is off to a strong start, things don't get any easier for the Huskies early in their Pac-12 schedule with Washington State, "playing the best volleyball they've played in years."
The Huskies then head to USC, a team Cook said "looks outstanding," before returning home for matches on back-to-back night against Stanford and Cal.
When looking at the season so far and what's ahead, Cook laughed again.
"There's no rest for the weary," he said with a smile.
