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Page 11 • Thursday, September 9, 199§
■guse
Stepping out
-J of the shadows
education mior middle blocker Lauri Leahy makes most of
arting role for Texas A&M Volleyball Team
-teen percer: " J y
^tion workers JASON LINCOLN She responded during her first tant to our team,” senior team-
^ses and barter 1 The Battalion career start against Texas Tech mate Amber Woolsey said. “She’s
iJrugs. Force with 11 kills, 22 attacks, 15 digs probably one of the most consis-
-, it was 14fe'w 1 occasion, great athletes and three solo blocks. The match tent players on the court now.”
nation and nr ■ t ’ ir ' se where you expect also marked her first double-dou- Times were not always filled
-^ers, it wasli?^Phem least. A player can be ble out of several that would fol- with success on the court for the
imei ing on the backburner un- low in coming games. Leahy. She began her road to suc-
- rs who used: their chance comes, and they “I was really discouraged be- cess as a freshman walk-on who
■ ely to have lV e to be more than their own fore that game,” Leahy said, saw very little playing time in her
moreempt- dest dreams. Whether it be due “Then [McWhirter was injured] first two and a half seasons.
3 in the pas' size, experience, strength or and it jumped out at me that this “What impressed me most
• oped a da,: / niimber of factors, some play- was my chance. The team was re- about Lucy when she came into
t he past me" can be miscalculated. lying on me to fill the hole so 1 did our gym is that she’s very athlet-
■ Lauri “Lucy” Leahy is one such what was needed.” ic and she always has a grin on
iyei The senior for the Texas After the win over Texas Tech, her face,” Corbelli said. “It always
:M Volleyball Team was merely Leahy kept the starting position came off to me that she was en-
• i )acl up until her chance came, for the Aggies’ 10 remaining toying what she did. That all-
^11* ripen it did, she took the oppor- matches. She finished the season around ability, competitive spirit
H I llhity to show just what she with a .364 hitting efficiency, and the joy of the game was so
uld io. which led the team and was sec- visible to me, and 1 needed a play-
likeV Lefehy now holds the starting ond in the Big 12 Conference. er like that,
n issueore, ddje blocker position, where She also broke A&M’s four- “I knew that with training she
ers. e Jads the team with a passive game match record and tied the could contribute to the team, but
greed car; ive love for volleyball and an total blocks record in the first I had no idea she would become
ind that kten^e desire to win. round of the NCAA tournament in such a dominant middle hitter
1 casterstoi. “Lucy has a quiet intensity that which she put up 12 block assists and middle blocker.”
at its peak when she realizes in the Aggie win. In the same The training was used to de-
^ solidrea;: e has more to prove,” A&M vol- match, she racked up 16 kills and velop a thorough understanding
that are o:: /ball coach Laurie Corbelli said, a .556 hitting efficiency. of the offense, polish her skills
ard said Th|at style of play makes Leahy “1 was confident that she and adjust her to Aggie volleyball.
!<■ Vap: dangerous variable for the Ag- would do a very solid job,” Cor- “It’s not easy to sit the bench,”
i ruling the esBShe does not fit the typical belli said. “I didn’t know that she Leahy said about her early years,
iiv requiav ofile of a strong middle block- would be leading the conference “It’s hard to put in all the time and
kMinnun;.' , yet she is a consistent hitter in hitting position and be block- not see any court time. There’s
, iat can deliver the ball accurate- ing so effectively.” just something there that keeps
it tear a nd effectively. Leahy never relinquished her you going, telling you someday
However, it took several years starting position and has devel- you’ll get your chance to prove
urn toyrL eahy’s role on the team to be- oped into a team leader and one yourself.”
r ^.. tme clear. of the conference’s strongest mid- In addition to all the challenges
)ted oveiwtie: That time came halfway die blockers. that Leahy has faced playing and
! ]rough the-1998 season, when “When we needed her last succeeding in collegiate volley-
<in ettendecs 1011 so ^' lomore Heather year, she came in and did an ex- ball, she has faced rigorous acad-
^(wj . pcWhirter was injured and Leahy cellent job and proved to every- emic challenges.
T toved into the starting spot in the one that she could be a starter,
:- : vr’ZmZ innin Z of November- and that has been really impor- see Leahy on Page 12.
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LWORI
JP BEATO/Thi BauahuJs
Senior Lauri Leahy has gone from being a freshman walk-on to an integral part of the volleyball team.
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