Following An Example Area Players Learn From U.S. Team’S Perseverance

Consider the U.S. women volleyball team’s upset win over South Korea on Tuesday a motivational tool tailor-made for volleyball coaches. The Americans are a classic case of overachievers, instantly the subject of inspirational speeches.

“It might be corny or whatever,” said coach Eva Windlin-Jansen, whose Gonzaga Bulldogs’ 4-9 record begs for a pep talk. “If you see somebody in that type of situation with all the pressure on them in a sport you can relate to … you know what it takes to be successful in your own sport. It’s hard to relate to baseball or hockey, but this is our sport.”

One Olympic athlete whom the former Gonzaga volleyball team endured for four years is outside hitter Sarah Noriega. The former Loyola Marymount All-American was instrumental in getting the U.S. into the medal round. The U.S. meets Russia today (2:30 a.m. PST) for the right to play in the gold medal match.

“Sarah Noriega comes in to block and delivers,” said Windlin-Jansen. “The next play, she makes a great play that keeps the point alive. If that’s not inspirational, I don’t know what is.”

Gonzaga, meanwhile, will begin its West Coast Conference season at Martin Centre Friday against No. 18 Santa Clara (11-1) and Saturday against San Francisco (8-3). After an encouraging start, the Zags have lost four straight, including a 3-0 trashing by the red-hot Eastern Washington Eagles on Tuesday.

The Eagles, winners of five straight by sweeps, takes a 6-5 overall and 3-1 Big Sky Conference record into Sacramento State (8-7) tonight and and Weber State (5-7) Saturday.

First-year coach Wade Benson and his players also have kept a close eye on the U.S. Olympic team, despite the late-night broadcasts of the tape-delayed match.

“At crunch time, these six players were really giving their maximum at the same time,” Benson said. “Everybody was prepared to react to the same thing.”

Benson also said beating a favorite is the same at all levels. The Eagles have not defeated Sacramento in Hornet Gym since 1996. Sac State is 4-1 at home this season. EWU is 3-5 on the road.

At Idaho, first-year coach Debbie Buchanan has her team off to a 8-2 start as it begins Big West Conference play this weekend in Moscow. The Vandals take on UC Irvine (6-3, 1-1) Friday and Fullerton (3-9, 0-2) on Saturday.

After her team beat Washington Tuesday night, the first-year coach caught the Olympics volleyball team on TV.

However, she believes there are other ways to motivate her players who already have done their fair share of overachieving. “We motivate them by talking about us,” she said. “ What fires you up when you do this well or that well?

“I think it’s hard to use a motivational piece or send them down to watch something. That may fire them up, but not necessarily focus them. You can have all this energy, but you’re not putting it in the right direction if you’re not focused.”