Northwestern University Athletics
Volleyball Trio Returns from Italy
7/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
July 15, 2002
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern Assistant Volleyball Coach Josh Grau and two NU players, seniors Kelli Meyer (Madison, Wis./Edgewood) and Sarah Ballog (Coto de Caza, Calif./Santa Margarita), returned to the United States last week after traveling to Italy with an American entry to an international tournament.
Grau coached Team Third Degree in the Sibillini Tournament, while middle blocker Ballog and right side hitter Meyer played for Team VolleyHut.com. Both U.S. teams were comprised of players from top college volleyball programs across the country.
"I think it was an invaluable experience, both culturally and in terms of volleyball," Grau said. "The level of play was really high, and the American players were forced to play as a team."
Team VolleyHut.com earned the top U.S. finish, beating a Hungarian entry for third place. The squad carried just eight players, giving Ballog and Meyer plenty of time on the court. Grau's Team Third Degree beat an Italian team for fifth place after facing both tournament finalists during pool play.
The tournament provided a unique atmosphere for volleyball. Games began after dark in small towns in the Sibillini Mountains on Italy's Adriatic coast. Teams from six countries participated in the event.
"It was challenging to coach against foreign teams and adapt to their style of play," Grau said. "But we learned from watching them, and now we have some new drills and sets to work with."
The U.S. contingent included representatives from 14 schools, including three Big Ten institutions. Joanna Fielder, a recent Michigan graduate, was named the best attacker of the event. Illinois assistant coach Anne Kordes joined Grau on the Third Degree bench, while two Illini players were on the VolleyHut roster.
"It was great to build some conference camaraderie," Grau said. "Having played and coached together in Italy adds a different dimension for when we play against each other during the season."
The Italy trip marks the second international excursion this offseason for NU players. Middle blocker Erika Lange (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) and setter Drew Robertson (Long Beach, Calif/Long Beach Poly) traveled to Croatia in May with the USA National Select team.
