IWU takes 'chemistry' into volleyball opener

By Randy Reinhardt, Pantagraph Sports

BLOOMINGTON -- Third place was not where Illinois Wesleyan volleyball coach Kim Nelson-Brown wanted to see her team picked in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason poll.
But if the rest of the CCIW wants to regard the Titans as only the third best team in the league, Nelson-Brown can see a benefit.
"I don't put a lot of weight in the preseason (rankings). But one thing that disappointed me was we didn't get even one first-place vote," she said. "That puts us in a good spot. Maybe some schools will overlook us and think we're not as strong as we really are."
Picked behind defending co-champions Elmhurst and Carthage, IWU opens its season today at the Washington University Tournament in St. Louis.
"I'm very excited with how the preseason has been going," Nelson-Brown said. "A lot depends on team chemistry and right now the team chemistry is fantastic."
The Titans will try to improve on last season's 22-15 record behind reigning CCIW Player of the Year Molly May (Mt. Prospect, Prospect HS).
A 6-foot-1 senior, May set a school record with 222 blocks last season while leading IWU in kills (401) and hitting percentage.
Junior Nicole Walsh (Lemont HS) teams with May to give the Titans what Nelson-Brown believes are "two strong middles. They will be a big part of the foundation of our team."
Sophomore setter Jenna Passananti (Western Springs, LaGrange Lyons HS) was a second team all-CCIW pick as a freshman.
"She made a huge impact last year," said Nelson-Brown, "and you can really see she worked hard this summer to get ready for the fall."
Junior Natalie Quinton (Shirley, Sterling Newman HS) returns at one outside hitter position with competition coming from junior Crystal Dye (Springfield, Southeast HS).
In contention for time at right side hitter are juniors Melissa Seritella (St. Charles, North HS) and Sarah Vegter (Lombard, Willowbrook HS).
Nelson-Brown has choices at libero in juniors Jaclyn Verticchio (Jacksonville HS) and Colleen Ernst (Lemont, Montini Catholic HS) and sophomore Ashley Reed (Lemont HS).
"There is a lot of healthy competition going on," said Nelson-Brown, who enters her 10th season at Wesleyan with a 205-132 record. "It's nice to know if we have somebody struggling, somebody else can step in and help out."
Nelson-Brown said her team has been affected by the heat-related death of Titan football player Doug Schmied last week.
"I'm proud of the way they pulled together and united as a team to show support for our football team," said the IWU coach. "There were days it was really trying just to come into practice. We had to put some of those emotions aside and keep working hard."