Nov. 18, 2008

BALTIMORE, MD - Just days before preseason practices were due to begin, the Johns Hopkins volleyball team was graced with a new coach. Coaching volleyball was nothing new for Greg Giovanazzi. He had been part of the collegiate volleyball community for the past thirty years. UCLA alum and the former leader of the University of Michigan, Giovanazzi was anxious to offer his talents to JHU. Hopkins had been picked as the favorite to win the conference in the Centennial Conference Preseason Coaches Poll and was out to avenge an early exit from the Centennial Conference Tournament a year ago.

The Blue Jays responded well to his expertise, soaring to a 7-0 record to open the season, the best opening spree since 1997. Hopkins captured the JHU Invitational championship crown for the second straight year to begin the 2008 season. The Blue Jays landed two on the all-tournament team; junior Allison Cappelaere and senior Amanda Lewis. Freshman Melissa Cole also posted 10 kills and 15 digs in the season opener with Goucher.

JHU met Gallaudet in the first round of Gettysburg's Battlefield Classic, handing the Bison a 3-2 loss. It was a breakout match for the sophomores as KC Stingl tallied 11 kills and 18 digs. Sophomore Brittany Zimmer recorded seven service aces, 20 digs and eight kills while Alica Diehl posted a career-high 16 digs and three aces. Hopkins would suffer its first defeat of the season in the final match of the tournament to Salisbury, 3-0. Junior Alex Zenoff set a career-high with her 19 kills against Richard Stockton in the tournament. Lewis was also selected for the Battlefield Classic All-Tournament squad.

The Blue Jays traveled to Hoboken, N.J. the following weekend to compete in the Ducks Classic, hosted by Stevens Tech. Hopkins found a quick rhythm against Gallaudet, facing the Bison for the second consecutive weekend and earning a 3-0 victory. The Blue Jays clashed against No. 20 Stevens Tech the same evening, falling 3-2 in a thriller. Junior Allison Cappelaere posted a season-best 16 kills in the match. The next day, Hopkins took MIT in three sets before being edged by Frostburg State, 3-2. Sophomore Taryn Segal earned three service aces against the Bobcats.

The Blue Jays defeated Johns Carroll in their next match as part of the Carnegie Mellon Crossover. Hopkins downed Muskingum in five sets, 3-2 as freshman Melissa Cole had 25 digs and 10 kills and Lewis posted 47 assists. Freshman Sarah Feicht notched a season-high 13 kills. Suffering its only loss of the tournament, JHU fell to Mount Union, 3-2. The Blue Jays concluded the Carnegie Mellon Crossover soaring past Otterbein, 3-0. Junior Kristen Kozielski had a career-best 14 assists.

Hopkins hit the road to begin its Centennial Conference schedule just a few days later, heading to Allentown, Pa. to face the Muhlenberg Mules. The Blue Jays claimed an easy 3-0 victory in Allentown, led by freshman Sarah Feicht, who hit .409 with 11 kills in 22 attempts. Hopkins continued its success away from home, capturing another 3-0 win in Centennial play over Dickinson the following week.

The Blue Jays returned home on October 4 to host the defending conference champions, Haverford. Hopkins fought hard, but the Fords overcame JHU, 3-2 in a heartbreaker. The match, designated for the "Dig for a Cure" fundraiser, helped the Blue Jays to raise $2,300 for breast cancer research and recovery as part of a conference-wide campaign.

Hopkins traveled to Gettysburg next to take on the Bullets, who were coming off a 3-0 sweep of Haverford earlier in the season to become the No. 1 ranked team in the Centennial Conference. The Blue Jays downed the Bullets, 3-1, donning their new uniforms and sporting a new offense to enter a three-way knot for first place in the conference. Junior Rhea Alexander had a career-high 22 digs and junior Allison Cappelaere tallied 25 digs.

Hopkins took advantage of a three-match homestand, defeating Franklin & Marshall, Swarthmore and Washington, 3-0. The Blue Jays extended their win-streak to five matches with a 3-0 sweep of Bryn Mawr with just two conference matches remaining in the regular season. Assistant coach Lindsay Lawson led the Blue Jays in their sweep of the Owls in the first solo match of her coaching career. JHU faced McDaniel in its final contest on the road. The Green Terror stunned the Blue Jays with a 3-0 defeat, snapping their 15-set win-streak, and handing Hopkins its second loss in league play.

In its final home match of 2008, Hopkins defeated the Ursinus Bears, 3-0. Each of the 18 Blue Jays had a hand in the final home victory of 2008. Sophomore Katie Kings posted a career-high two kills in the match.

The Blue Jays earned a No. 3 seed for the Centennial Conference Tournament, behind Gettysburg and Haverford. No. 1 seeded Gettysburg earned the right to host with its win over Haverford early in the season.

Hopkins dropped a tough 3-1 decision to Haverford in the semifinals to end its run for its first Centennial Conference title.

In the final match against Haverford in the Centennial semifinals, senior Amanda Lewis broke the Centennial Conference career assist record, setting the new standard at 4,712. Lewis accomplished the feat in the last game of her Hopkins career, surpassing Haverford alumnus Emily Hinchcliff, who set the record of 4,707 in 2007. Giovanazzi formulated a new style of play for the Blue Jays in his first season at JHU and experienced the highest win percentage of any first-year head coach in program history (.741).

Following the most successful season under a first-year head coach, the Blue Jays received quite a bit of postseason attention.

Senior Kim Jackanich was an honorable mention All-Centennial selection. She was also named to the ESPN The Magazine All-District Second Team and Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Senior Amanda Lewis earned first team all-conference honors and was named Centennial Conference Player of the Week (9/9). Lewis earned a spot on the conference weekly honor roll four times this season (9/3, 10/7, 10/14, 10/28 and 11/11).

Junior Allison Cappelaere received ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Third Team honors for the second straight year. Cappelaere also earned a spot on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll. The junior was selected for the conference weekly honor roll once during the season as well (10/21).

Adrienne Young was chosen for ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-District Third Team accolades for the first time in her career. The senior also earned a spot on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Junior Alex Zenoff was named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll and was a Second Team All-Centennial selection. Zenoff earned a place on the Centennial Weekly Honor Roll once during the season (11/4).

Junior setter Kristen Kozielski also received Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll accolades for her contributions on and off the court.

The Blue Jays finished their season as the top-hitting team in the Centennial Conference. Hopkins led the league with its .227 overall hitting percentage. Three of the top five hitters in the league were Blue Jays. Alex Zenoff (.303), Adrienne Young (.284) and Amanda Lewis (.276) each ranked among the best in the conference.

For Giovanazzi, the 2009 season should be one of excitement. Returning 12 of 18 from the 2008 squad, Giovanazzi will welcome back his top-three kill leaders, Alex Zenoff, Sarah Feicht and Allison Capplaere as well as his key contributors in each position. The Blue Jays will be poised for a run at the Centennial Conference title and a third-consecutive 20-win season.

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