Barthel optimistic, realistic
Jan. 20, 2009 - Regina Leader-Post
By Tim Switzer
Players didn't rush the court Friday, nor was there champagne flowing for the University of Regina Cougars men's volleyball team.
But there was -- at least internally -- a tremendous sigh of relief as the Cougars won their first game of the season, posting a victory over the host Manitoba Bisons.
"Let's be realistic -- we're not winning the CIS championship. We're working hard to get some W's," said Regina head coach Greg Barthel. "For some guys it was a monkey off the back, for others it was excitement. Guys had been waiting for it because they knew how well we had played this year and thought they should have more. It's good to get that one because they worked so hard for it."
There are more things to celebrate for Barthel -- particularly the fact that his team won in a tight, five-set match. In the past, Cougars teams have tended to fold on such occasions. In Regina's previous matches that went to a fifth set this regular season, the Cougars fell 15-6 to the Trinity Western Spartans (Oct. 24) and 15-11 to the Winnipeg Wesmen (Nov. 1).
"The only way to get that is through the experience of doing it and being through it," said Barthel, who is in his second season coaching the team and now has two wins for his tenure.
"Those are hard lessons to learn and once you have some successes in that way, it sticks with you."
And still ...
"I'd rather win three straight to show we've kept your focus the whole way through," Barthel said with a chuckle.
Barthel can also look to the play of outside hitters Chris Knoop and Jamie Wilkins as well as setter Ryan DeCosse if he needs to smile. Knoop, who has been (arguably) Regina's best player this season, tallied 24 kills and 27 digs between the two matches. On Friday, DeCosse set a team record and recorded the sixth-highest total in Canada West history when he dished out 62 assists. In that same match, Wilkins, a second-year player, had 21 kills to go with nine digs and two blocks.
"Jamie works hard all the time and it's nice to see that pay off," said Barthel.
Wilkins received more playing time than usual during the weekend, due at least partially to the fact that Kevin Frey, one of Regina's regular starters, quit the team following its Jan. 9 game against the Thompson Rivers Wolfpack. That losing feeling set back in for the Cougars during Saturday's rematch with the Bisons following a straight-set defeat.
"It was a letdown for sure," said Barthel. "(The Bisons) made some adjustments on their block and we didn't pass nearly as well, so that affected our hitters. If we're not passing well, that affects our offence.
"It's not like our effort wasn't there. We still dug a ton of balls (30) and touched a lot on our block. When we had the opportunity to run a good offence, we scored, but with some of the adjustments they made, we weren't able to overcome."
The Cougars will try to get back to their winning ways Friday (8 p.m.) and Saturday (6 p.m.) when they play host to the Saskatchewan Huskies at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health and Sport. The Cougars and Huskies sport 1-13 records, and Regina's only win last season came against their rivals to the north.
"They're winnable games for sure and we'll go in like we do every week -- wanting to win," said Barthel. "You're playing Saskatchewan. They're our provincial rivals and we're playing at home, so the guys will be pretty pumped up to play them."