In Focus: Seniors Anchor The Middle For Washington Volleyball
September 24, 2015 | General, Volleyball
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
For Lianna Sybeldon and Melanie Wade, every chance to step onto a volleyball court provides an opportunity. When the Washington seniors go to work, whether for practice or a match, the middle blockers make sure to help each other while helping themselves.
Their goal: Improvement.
“It's good to have someone to talk to about different plays,” Sybeldon said.
When one of the standouts is on the floor, they look to their teammate for advice. When they elevate above the net to hit the ball, they have the opportunity for immediate feedback.
“Did that set look too high?” Sybeldon will ask Wade. “Did I look too early?”
That is the benefit of having two of the Pac-12's top talents in the middle – they make each other better both on defense and offense.
“A lot of successful teams have their middles involved on offense,” Wade said. “If anything, it's just going to help us be a more balanced team that will, hopefully, take us really far this year.”
The duo is averaging career bests in kills per set – Sybeldon averages 2.16 (her previous best was 1.98 in 2013), while Wade averages two, well above her previous career-high of 1.35. They also lead the sixth-ranked Huskies in blocks and rank Nos. 1 and 2 in the Pac-12 in hitting percentage. The seniors are playing so well, they have taken turns earning the conference's Defensive Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks.
“It really just shows that if you keep working at it and doing your job over and over again you're going to make plays and you're going to help your team's defense do well,” Wade said. “The defensive honors are a reward for the entire team, because Lianna and I do get a lot of blocks, but that's because of our wing blockers. They're the ones touching a lot of balls, too, so it's good for the whole team.”
Sybeldon agreed the individual accolades reflect well on their teammates, “It says good things about our middles, but also our wing blockers, since they're a big part of our success as middles. It reflects positively on the work we're doing and fires us up for conference play.”
But, as talented as the duo is on the floor, each of the Northern California natives – Sybeldon is from Folsom, Wade is from Palo Alto – bring their own signature style to the program.
Wade said her teammate is “athletic and powerful,” while describing herself as a player who prides herself on her ability to serve and play defense.
“She (Sybeldon) hits the ball hard,” Wade said. “She jumps really high. She's just a great athlete who has gotten so much better the past four years. We both excel in different areas, but we both contribute really well to how the team works.”
When Sybeldon compares the differences between the two players, she said Wade brings a more analytical approach, while Sybeldon relies more on instincts.
“Mel has a very high level of understanding,” Sybeldon said. “She's definitely the best at processing our scouting report and applying that to the game. She's extremely analytical. I know our scouting report, but I'm more instinctual, which at times can be good and bad.”
Their differences combine to make Washington a more talented team. Coming off season when she was named to the AVCA All-America third team as a junior, the 6-foot-1 standout has improved each season she has been in the program.
But, as much time as she has spent working on her game, her focus this season has been on helping a team in transition. With Keegan Cook taking over as head coach and new faces stepping in for last year's departed seniors, Sybeldon and Wade were integral in helping the Huskies navigate an unblemished non-conference schedule.
“I'm pleased with how the team is playing,” Sybeldon said. “We definitely have areas to improve, but overall, I'm proud of how hard we're working and the outcomes we've been getting so far.”
Wade added, “We learned a lot about ourselves during preseason and we still have a lot to get better at going into Pac-12, but so far it's been a really good learning experience with this new team and Keegan (Cook) stepping in as head coach. It's going as well as it can so far.”
While Sybeldon is the kind of player who lets her enthusiasm for the game set an example, Wade is more of a vocal leader.
Their differences make a difference for the Huskies, who open Pac-12 play on the road this week with a trip to Washington State on Thursday before returning home to play Colorado on Sunday.
Two seniors. Two Pac-12 Defensive Players of the Week. Two standouts who have helped Washington maintain a level of success that has become a signature of the program.
