EDINBURG — Early in the season, UTRGV volleyball head coach Toddy Lowery was directing his team, during this one specific moment, to pass the ball a little more to the left.
The distance was no more than a foot. Something that many people would consider minimal. For Lowery and the Vaqueros, however, that small distance was a large measuring tool in the plan that has taken UTRGV to the WAC regular season champions and the No 1 seed for the WAC Tournament, which begins today at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The Vaqueros play their first match at 7 p.m. today at home against No. 8 seed, Southern Utah.
“First contact obviously is a major part of what we’re doing, and this is probably the best passing team we’ve ever had here at UTRGV,” Lowery said. It’s something we’ve talked about and worked on.”
Ioanna Charitonidi, Regina Tijerina and Sydney Schoen have taken complete ownership of the back row, knowing that their first contact — whether they are serve-receiving or bouncing back an attack — is a major determining factor in the rally’s outcome.
“I think all three of us have worked really hard and have worked the extra reps,” said Charitonidi, a junior who missed the early part of the season recovering from knee surgery but is now back and providing the Vaqueros with a back-row hitter, while also being a defensive stalwart. “We have a really good connection in the back row and we support one another.
“We’re not perfect, but we get over our mistakes really quick. And when we get the ball to (setter) Luanna (Emiliano), we know that there are so many great things that will go from there.”
Emiliano, who handles the second contact about 98% of the time, or more it seems, said that the team’s passing has improved tremendously and it gives her more time to do what she does — be dangerous with the ball.
“A good ball in my hands makes it so much easier to play with the middles and the outsides because the block will have doubt on where I’m going to go. Then I can choose whoever to set to. When we take care of this, we play so much easier and it really matters.
Emiliano was named the WAC Setter of the Year on Tuesday. Teammate Sarah Cruz was named the WAC Conference Player of the Year also. Both excel — well, the whole team of big hitters excel — when that first mark is on target.
“Good first contact helps Luanna distribute the ball and move it around more,” Cruz said. “We practice first contact every single day, and we get more confident every single day.”
The offense has become more varied as the passing has becoming more pinpoint and, with Emiliano setting, all the hitters know that the next ball could be one for them to attack.
Lowery said having Emiliano as a setter lessens the pressure of having perfect passers all the time. Less pressure has translated into more perfect passes.
“At the beginning of the year we were passing a little lower and we were playing faster,” libero Tijerina said. “Coach modified our system and focused on us playing together and having trust in each other.
“The height of the pass controls the speed of the game, and that has changed for us. He would just tell us to take your time and practice. If he said that during the game it would add pressure, but sine he’s making the changes during practice I think it’s the best option to have and we take care of it.”
Schoen said she hears the words “first contact” at least once a day, whether it’s practice or game day. It gave her and the defensive squad a deeper understanding of their importance.
“The coaching staff has very high expectations for us, but we have them for each other. Every day in practice we hold one another accountable and it makes it more relaxed,” Schoen said. “Luanna takes off a lot of the pressure and makes the second contact better — then the third.
“Coach is hard on us and he has very high expectations of us, but when we are passing well, he lets us know we are doing a good job and gives us credit — it’s a nice balance.”
The WAC tournament starts at 10 a.m. today with the quarterfinals. Games are scheduled for 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and UTRGV at 7 p.m. today. The semifinals are at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, and the championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.