Just mentioning the name “Spring Hill” to a Loyola volleyball player elicits deep revulsion. Still very much alive, the longtime rivalry between the only Jesuit universities in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Region XIII comes to The Den on Oct. 9.
Setter Sarah Howard, marketing senior, said the spirit of the rivalry passed along the years between veterans and freshmen.
When asked about the importance of the upcoming games, Howard and hitter Danielle Posey, mass communication junior, focused the conversation entirely on the Spring Hill match. “It’s always more of a mental game against Spring Hill,” Howard said.
Earlier this season, Loyola crumbled against the Badgers in three sets.
“The last match we definitely weren’t at where we are now,” Posey said.
Loyola, Spring Hill and Belhaven College share the No. 2 rank with 2-2 records in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. After defeating Loyola on Sept. 11, Spring Hill lost the next nine games but managed another win off of last place Dillard University.
Last year the ‘Pack defeated Spring Hill in the regular season before going to the Region XIII finals.
Since Loyola’s loss to conference leader University of Mobile on Sept. 25, head coach Tommy Harold has continued to focus on steady team development rather than making major changes, said defensive specialist Keelyn Henderson, international business junior.
“It’s the same every time. If a certain player keeps nailing us on the line then we’ll adjust, but we don’t adjust to the other team because we believe it’s more about how we play,” Henderson said.
Harold does take opposing teams into account. Henderson said the ‘Pack defense is designed to statistically predict where the other team puts the ball with great accuracy. If opposing hitters change patterns, then the defense adjusts.
Posey checks the statistics and rankings of opposing players frequently. After the Mobile defeat, she said the team needed to work on speed.
“Mobile is a team that gets their sets a little lower and a little faster, so we work a lot on speed of the game,” Posey said.
The rivalry match is one of the biggest games of the season for both schools. At the Spring Hill match in Mobile last September, Howard said the crowds packed the venue. “There’s a lot of excitement and a lot of anticipation,” Posey said.
Last Tuesday the ‘Pack swept Wesley College in three games improving their overall record to 10-7.
Next Tuesday during the window the athletic department will put on a barbeque in the residential quad to rally support for the match.
Steve Heath can be reached at [email protected].
