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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Defensive Specialists Look To Anchor Rebels
8/26/2010 | Volleyball
Aug. 26, 2010
This is the third of four articles looking at the Rebel volleyball team by position heading into the 2010 season.
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Rebels have a solid duo returning on the back row in starting libero Morgan Springer and sophomore Ashley Veach. The experienced pair will anchor the defensive efforts of the Rebels in 2010.
Springer paced the Rebels in digs a year ago from the libero position, coming up with 429 digs on the season and averaged almost four digs per set. She posted double digit digs in 22 matches and passed the 20 dig mark in seven matches with a career-high 27 digs in matches against UAB and at Georgia. Springer also made her presence felt at the service line, coming up with 17 aces, the second most on the team a year ago.
Veach bolstered the back row defense as a freshman in 2009, playing in 26 matches and drawing seven starts. In her first season with the Rebels, she tallied 117 digs and averaged 1.50 digs per set while also proving to be a solid server with 12 service aces on the year.
The combined experience of the two will be huge for Ole Miss in 2010 as the pair are the only two players on the team dedicated to the back row.
"Any time you have someone back who has a year starting under her belt, you're in good shape," Getzin said. "She's very confident in her role and brings a ton of experience with her. For her, it's about trusting herself and relaxing in her role so she can get better. She's very hard on herself.
"Ashley Veach is a gritty competitor. She finds a way to get things done. She's grown up and matured over the summer. She's much more comfortable competing at this level."
The Rebels take the court for the season opener against UT-San Antonio at 4:30 p.m. on Friday in the Rice Invitational.
