Kreher serving up sensational season for Irish
By RACHAEL PROTZMAN
Sports Writer
Junior Kristy Kreher has come out from the shadows of second and third in Irish volleyball statistics to set the pace as she has finally topped the lists for Notre Dame.
Even as the statistical leader of the Irish, Kreher still gets plenty of advice and criticism from her teammates.
"During matches we have a team policy where people on the sidelines let us know what we're doing and what we need to do better," Kreher said. "We get constant feedback from the team. If I'm not pulling my weight on the court, someone will let me know. It's a team effort in every game."
As a freshman Kreher was named as an all-Big East Rookie as she totaled a .264 hitting percentage with an average of 2.07 kills per game. She racked up 272 kills in 1999 out of 592 attempts with just 85 errors for a .316 percentage, the third highest on the team, while also finishing the season with 198 digs for the second-highest team total.
Kreher rounded out 1999 by being named to the all-Big East second team with the third highest hitting mark at .377 in the conference.
Following her sophomore year, Kreher moved into second in Notre Dame's career hitting percentage mark with a .294 percentage in two years.
Following a spectacular season in 1999, Kreher now leads the team statistically in 2000. This year Kreher has come out on top to lead the team with 172 kills on 364 attempts with 59 errors for a .310 hitting percentage in the 13 matches played so far in 2000. Kreher also leads the team with 106 digs.
"It's exciting," Kreher said. "I don't feel myself as any different in this year as compared to past years. It's cool to know that teams will look at you and think that this is a player that we have to watch. But I don't feel that my role is that much different. I still want to go out there and get as many kills for the team as I can and do my job for the team.
"To be able to do that I need my team behind me. As long as our team is doing well, I feel that I can do well. Volleyball is such a team sport that you can't have just one good player on the team, you have to have six or even 12."
Kreher also topped the 1997 record of kills in a four-game match with 32 kills in the Notre Dame versus Loyola Marymount match on Sept. 21.
She was named to the Shamrock Invitational all-tournament team and the adidas Invitational all-tournament team, both played earlier in the 2000 season at the Joyce Center.
"I think that the reason I'm getting a lot of kills is due to Denise [Boylan]," Kreher said. "I'm used to her consistency in getting me the ball. That's one of the things that has helped me a lot. I give a lot of credit to my teammates and my coaches. Being pushed by my teammates in practice is one thing that has helped. Sometimes I'm up against harder things in practice than in games.
"I want to improve in every aspect of my game. I'm struggling right now with blocking and defense, so I've been trying to get better at that in practice," Kreher said. "I want to keep improving my all-around game."
Kreher will have her chance this weekend as the Irish volleyball team faces Villanova and Georgetown in the first Big East matches of the season.
"It's very exciting for our team this year. I feel that we've improved so much," Kreher said. "We've been playing such big powers across the country now and it's exciting that we can play with the top teams in the country. We just have to keep battling every day."
All Sports Stories for Thursday, September 28, 2000
