Nazareth Roadrunners

AT A GLANCE
Conference East Suburban Catholic
Home Court Nazareth Academy, 1209 W. Ogden Ave., La Grange Park
Last year’s record 27-11 (6-4, T-5th in ESCC)
Coach Wayne Saunders

Top returners
Jen Milligan jr. OH/DS
Jill Paluch jr. S
Stephanie Polich sr. OH
Taylor Grossi sr. MH
Keara Luehrsen sr. MH
Kelly Sheppard sr. OH

Key newcomers
Jane Schiffler jr. OH
Colleen McCollom so. OH
Kirsten Pope so. MH
Dulie Herr so. OH
Brittany Brown fr. S
Lauren Schick jr. DS

KEY MATCHES
Sept. 6 at Davenport (IA) Invitational This trip is always used as a bonding experience for the Roadrunners and is a good early-season test.
Sept. 16 at Joliet Catholic The Angels are always the team to beat in the ESCC and this will show the Roadrunners where they’re at mid-season.
Sept. 30 vs. Benet The Redwings are emerging as an early-season state-tournament favorite so Nazareth will need to bring its A game.

WHAT TO WATCH
Nazareth enters 2008 with a much different makeup from what it had last year. Gone are setter Hilary Kluczynski and hitters Julie Schiffler, Ali McCracken, Christina Johnson and DS Shannon Bradt. However, there are several key players back from last year’s regional championship winning team, including Milligan, Polich, Paluch and Sheppard. Those four will be the key nucleus for Nazareth as it looks to repeat the best year in the school’s history.
The Roadrunners will be extremely young this year, having graduated five players from last year’s team; including four starters and a libero. However, they do have some talent and experience in three-year player Mililgan and four-year players Sheppard and Polich.
Another key for Nazareth is in the ESCC. The Roadrunners recorded a program-high six wins in the league last year which helped spur them on to a 20-win campaign. How they perform again in the league will most likely determine how they finish up at the end of the season.

COACH SPEAK
Wayne Saunders
You’ve lost some significant players from last year. What does this year look like? It’s going to be a different kind of challenge for us. Jill (Paluch) played libero for us last year, but she can also set. But, if she sets, we’re going to lose her defense. It’s nice she can play all of those positions, but we need to find out where she’ll be most effective. We’re also going to be younger, and we’ll have to see how well we jell together. The kids have worked hard the last two weeks and I think we may struggle early as we get used to each other.
What do you think the strength of the team is? I think we’ll have pretty solid setting with Jill and we’ll be good in the back row with Jen Milligan. I also think our ball control will be good.
Is there anything you have to improve upon? I think we have to improve on defense. Last year, we kept the ball in play and we’ll have to do that again this year to be successful because we’re not big in the middle.