Moloney Impresses in Debut
It will take more than four games to fill the loss of All-CAA setter Kim Mount to graduation last season, but freshman setter Jordyn Moloney appears to be off to a good start.
“Jordyn Moloney had such a fantastic opening tournament,” Head Coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. “For her to be thrust in to a starting role because of an injury she did so well and I’m really proud of her.”
Moloney competed with junior setter Cassie Crumal during the preseason for the starting role. Crumal, who also started at the beginning of her freshman season, due to an injury to a teammate, before returning to a reserve role, did not play all weekend due to injury.
Excluding the match against the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in which she tallied only four assists, the freshman from Whitby, Ontario averaged 32.33 assists over three matches. She recorded career highs in both assists and digs in the finale against Ohio State University, racking up 37 assists and 14 digs in the 3-1 defeat.
“The transition has been great,” Moloney said. “The team is amazing and the coaches have been awesome. Everyone is supportive and they really look after you. It’s the most amazing experience being here.”
Moloney was honored Monday with the CAA Rookie of the Week award following her performance at the Tribe Invite.
Debut Part Deux
Also getting her first playing experience in a Tribe uniform this weekend was sophomore midfielder Lindsay Kresch. One of the top-75 recruits in the nation in 2007, Kresch played one season at Northwestern University before transferring to the College last season.
“I think the team here at William and Mary has a lot to offer,” Kresch said. “It’s a very well rounded team with very good players and we have a lot of heart. It’s nice to play in such an atmosphere.”
After sitting out last season, Kretsch racked up 5 kills and 13 total attempts in her first match for the Tribe Saturday against Rider University. The 6’1” sophomore’s best effort came in the match against the Buckeyes, where she recorded 9 kills in 33 total attempts to go along with 9 digs.
“She played well, she got better every game and raised her level,” Shelton said. “She hasn’t played volleyball in a year so she is still a little out of shape in terms of volleyball game readiness and still isn’t executing really well. But she played well and we’re proud of her.”
A Crowd Favorite
Midway through the College’s third match of the weekend Sunday against the University of North Carolina-A&T, a contingent of Tribe fans entered the arena bearing signs of support for freshman middlebacker Shaylin O’Connell.
“I knew they were going to come to one of the games, but I had no idea that they were all going to be here when they were going to be here,” O’Connell said of her friends. “Right when they walked in they had signs and were cheering and I could hear them.”
In between the first and second set, junior outside hitter Erin Skipper encouraged O’Connell to acknowledge the fans under signs saying “Go Shaylin”, “We love Shaylin” and “Do work Shaylin.” The biggest ovation though came in the third set when O’Connell recorded a block at the net.
“The weekend was awesome, the game is so much faster,” O’Connell said. “So much more is going on but it was a lot of fun.”
