The University of Mississippi Athletics
Oestermeyer Looks To Lead Rebels Past No. 19 LSU
11/5/2009 | Volleyball
Ole Miss Media Relations Assistant
OXFORD, Miss. -- It has been a tale of two setters for the Rebel volleyball team this season.
Marielle Oestermeyer, a freshman from Downers Grove, Ill., began the season on the sidelines, playing behind junior setter Emily Kvitle. Her role has changed to the starting setter after turning around the Alabama game at home on October 11, proving to her team and coaches that she has what it takes to lead the Rebel's struggling offense.
"I work hard," Oestermeyer said. "Emily works hard and pushes me every day. We're both dead on and it's always a battle for my position. It's a big change and a challenge to be setting the team now. It's the SEC and I'm a freshman, but I just try to be a leader and I try to help the team."
Although the two setters "battle" for a starting position, the two help each other to grow as setters for the sake of their team.
"We definitely work as a team," she said. "When she's setting, I try to help her find open spots on the court, telling her what's open when she sets and she does the same for me. There's always that competition in practice to push each other."
Now, the young setter is trying to find ways to beat No. 19 LSU, who the team plays on Friday at 7 p.m.
"I expect to do much better than last time, when we weren't very organized in the way we played against them," she said. "LSU is a great team, but we can take the set from them - we can take the game from them - we just have to work hard and stay disciplined. That's what we're focusing on in practice right now, to stay disciplined and do the little things because the little things add up in the long run."
She said LSU's setter, Sam Dabbs, is a big inspiration who she can look to in order to improve her game. She also said that the LSU offense is solid in almost every position, especially in their outside hitters and middle blockers.
"They're pretty stacked," she said. "Their setter is great. She sees the court well and knows who to set, and the hitters terminate the ball."
Teammate Caitlin Weiss, a senior outside hitter from Colleyville, Texas, said Oestermeyer has personal qualities that the team needs on the court.
"She brings a sense of calmness, and it's not so frantic all the time," Weiss said. "She says the right things when we need to hear them. She'll help your when you're struggling and if you do something good, she'll tell you."
Weiss said she realized that the young setter was ready to lead the team when she led them to their first SEC victory.
"When she stepped into our win against Alabama, she turned the game around for us," she said. "She directs the offense 100 percent. It's a big role, and for her to be a freshman... it's pretty cool."
Oestermeyer said she has been playing volleyball since seventh grade and played middle blocker until the middle of her junior year of high school.
"I love setting because it's definitely a bigger role," she said. "You're always on, the team's always listening to you and you run the offense. I love trying to figure out how to beat other teams."
The game perspective changes from cheering on the sideline to running the offense, she explained.
"On the bench, I try to be a vocal leader and tell my team things from the sideline and help Emily to see open spots," she said. "When I'm on the court, the whole mood is different than the sidelines. I try to keep the team focused and unified."
