by MARK CAUL
Freshman outside hitter Imani Fairman led Lehman in virtually every offensive category in 2009 and will be heavily relied upon this fall as the Lady Lobos look to rebound from a disappointing season. (Photo by Judy Cooper)
Unfortunately this season was a rebuilding year for the Lehman Lady Lobo volleyball team.
Graduation took its toll on a team that set a school record for wins and came within a few points of securing a playoff berth in 2008.
The year’s squad never seemed to find its identity after losing two of the program’s signature players in Ashley Fernandez and Nicole Morales, who played their final games as Lady Lobos last season.
Not only did the Lady Lobos struggle on the court, they also played much of the season without head coach Nikki Shuler, who was out on maternity leave.
Varsity assistant coach Kirsten Lewis filled in for Shuler and was forced to try and compete with only two returning seniors - Ariel Gonzalez and Kerry Robinson.
“We had a very young team this year, but having the chance to lead these young ladies was a great experience for both me and the girls,” Lewis said. “We are very excited about the talent coming back for us on the varsity and sub-varsity level.”
The team will now head into the summer months after a productive offseason.
Freshman outside hitter Imani Fairman led Lehman in virtually every offensive category in her first season as one of the few bright spots in 2009 and she is expected to be even better as a sophomore.
According to Lewis, three other players who will be battling for starting slots next fall include senior defensive specialist Ylissa Munoz, junior setter Vikki Smith and senior outside hitter Adrieana Martinez.
Lewis believes the same competitiveness shown by the players battling for starting spots this offseason could be helpful when it comes to earning more wins on the court.
“The only good thing about being as young as we were is that we got a couple of players an opportunity to compete at the varsity level,” said Lewis. “That experience will be helpful for them next season as we move into a very tough district. These girls never quit and battled the entire season and I expect them to do the same thing next fall.”
Along with Fairman and Martinez, Lewis expects to get major contributions from Ariana Gallegos, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter, junior outside Mikayla Wenzel and junior setter Kat Mohle, who all played on the JV last season.
Despite being young again, the team should be able to rely on its athleticism.
“There will be a lot of talented student-athletes coming back next year that we know will be able to help us,” Lewis said. “There were some valuable learning lessons that took place despite our record. Our coaching staff and players have embraced this experience and will continue to grow for the good of the program.”
Solid OffSeason
• Disappointing 2009 Lehman volleyball season gives way to the promise of a bright future for the program this fall.
