Team looks to break 10-year title drought

The last time JMU volleyball won a Colonial Athletic Association championship was in 2000. That was former head coach Disa Garner's first season.

Ten years later, in head coach Lauren Steinbrecher's first season, the Dukes look to repeat the same pattern and earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.

"It's surreal," sophomore Danielle Erb said. "To finish in eighth place last season and have the turn around this season and be in the position where we are is unbelievable."

JMU, who was picked to finish sixth in the conference at the beginning of the season, will head into this weekend's CAA tournament at the University of Delaware as the No. 2 seed and facing the No. 3-seeded Northeastern University Saturday at 5 p.m.

"We have had the opportunity to play Northeastern twice this year," Steinbrecher said. "They have a really nice right side setter combo player, Brittany Brown. She's a senior leader for them and she terminates great serves and is a great passer."

The Huskies are led by redshirt freshman middle hitter Nichole Kurz and freshman outside hitter Janelle Tucker. Tucker is top among CAA freshman with 307 kills, which is good enough for eighth overall.

This will be JMU's first CAA tournament since 2007, the first year for the Dukes' senior class. They lost in the semifinals that season to host No. 1 Delaware in four sets.

"It's really awesome," senior Lindsay Callahan said. "I feel like it's been way too long since we've been there and I'm really excited for the other girls to make it to the tournament."

Joining the Dukes and Huskies in the tournament are the Delaware Blue Hens and the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. Delaware is the lone team in the conference that has a perfect 13-0 record at home.

"Delaware is a very strong team," Steinbrecher said. "They play very good defense and stay aggressive. We were right there with them when we played them but just didn't make key shots."

Led by senior outside hitter Mariel Frey and middle back Kelsie Chegg, VCU has had an interesting season, going 2-13 in non-conference games but flipping the script to go 9-5 in the CAA, gaining the fourth seed. VCU is making its fourth trip in the past five years.

"VCU is a very athletic team," Steinbrecher said. "They play as a team and had a good amount of talent. If we see them we will have to be ready to pursue the ball on every play."

If the Dukes can muster a third win against Northeastern, they will go into the championship game against a team they haven't defeated. The Dukes lost to Delaware on the road in three sets and VCU gave JMU its only home loss this season, losing in four sets.

"I think both times we played we weren't out of it completely," Callahan said. "It wasn't anything they were doing on their side. We would really love to play Delaware at home and take it to them on their home court."

All week the team has been focused, setting their sights on the title game and getting another shot at either Delaware or VCU.

Senior setter Lauren Fanelli, one of four JMU seniors, said getting redemption is what motivates this year's team.

"Our team wants it so bad it will just be a game of who wants it more, and I feel like it will be us," she said.

-MO