Senior outside hitter Ashlie Reasor analyzes upcoming season
By Heath Clary
THE BATTALION: Last year y’all’s non-conference schedule was stacked with ranked teams, and this year is no different. What are your thoughts on the early part of the schedule and what do you want to see out of the team against elite opponents like Texas, Stanford, Wisconsin and Penn State?
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REASOR: Growing up I always wanted to play against those teams. I couldn’t have asked for a better preseason. It’s only to set the bar high — you’re getting the defending national champ. Why not bring them in here? Those are some of the teams that are going to underestimate us. I have friends who play on all four of those teams and I’ve been waiting to play them, so I finally get to and I’m very excited.
THE BATTALION: What are your expectations for the team this year?
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REASOR: As a senior class our expectations are very high. We want another SEC championship and we want to get past the second round because our class hasn’t gotten past that yet. This group is probably going to surprise a lot of people. I know a lot of people think since we lost the leaders from last year we aren’t going to be able to bounce back, but I think we’re going to be just fine. The SEC is going to be tough this year, but we’re going to be able to hang and it’s going to be great
THE BATTALION: Kaitlyn Blake had a big season for y’all last year, but struggled with injuries especially toward the end of the season. Coming off surgery in the offseason, how excited are you to see how good she can be when fully healthy?
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REASOR: She’s one of the mentally strongest people I’ve ever met. She has so much emotion and love for the game. She looks ridiculous half the time doing what she does, but she’s happy for the team. She’s going to be a big reason why we’re winning some games this year.
THE BATTALION: Stephanie Aiple was a pretty big part of the team for the past three years. What was y’all’s reaction when she announced her retirement and who do you see taking over at setter in 2017?
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REASOR: She was struggling a little bit at the end. She was amazing and we were very lucky to have her, but [freshman] Camille [Conner] is a stud. She’s left-handed so she can be a little more of a threat in the front-row, her hands are great, her location is great and I think we’ll be in pretty good hands. She is young, but I can already tell she is very mature for her age and I think she’ll be just fine.
THE BATTALION: You talked about how close this team is. What do you think is the reason for that improved team chemistry?
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REASOR: The sports psychologist from Texas A&M came and worked with us in the spring. We learned a lot from him and the biggest thing was ‘It’s deeper than volleyball.’ Just getting the personal connection, especially with the younger group. We need to get to know the freshman group, and they’re fitting in just fine. He definitely helped us, and you can see it on the court. We trust each other so much and we have so much fun, and that’s what it’s all about. He made us think about things in different ways. We’re here to play volleyball but we’re also here to build relationships and make friends, and that will carry over to the court.
THE BATTALION: What have you seen from the incoming freshman class so far and how much do you think they can contribute early in their careers?
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REASOR: They’re going to help us out a lot. With two 6-foot-4 players that came in — that’s going to be nice and Camille is great. We’re pretty stacked across the board, which is nice. We don’t have to worry about injuries hurting the team.
Q&A:
Kate Hanson — The Battalion