Middle of the Atlantic
Krystena Dzmuranova's move back to the middle will help solidify a defense that could allow FAU to surprise Sun Belt volleyball foes this season.
Originally published on
8/27/2009
by
Chuck King
BOCA RATON - Senior Krystena Dzmuranova had been a middle blocker nearly her entire volleyball career before crossing the Atlantic to play for FAU. This season she’s going home – not to Czechoslovakia, just to back to the middle.
Dzmuranova arrived at Florida Atlantic as last season only to find that the Owls already had two skilled players in the middle. Owls coach Jody Brown decided he wanted to get Dzmuranova on the court, so he moved her to the right side.
But now that Katie Arvidson has graduated, taking her team-leading 109 blocks with her, Dzmuranova will be back in her natural position.
“I am more comfortable in the middle, so I am excited about this season because I am coming back to my old position – what I was trained for,” Dzmuranova said.
Dzmuranova, who was second on the Owls last season in both digs (208) and service aces (23), could triple her 40 blocks from last season.
“She brings such a strong presence of blocking, if we take her to the middle we get her to block all across the net instead of just a quarter of the net,” Brown said.
Dzmuranova is one of four starters returning for the Owls this season, but the rest of the supporting cast is almost completely new. The Owls’ squad that takes the court at 11 a.m Friday against North Florida in the season-opening UCF Invitational will feature four first-year transfers and five true freshmen.
While the squad hasn’t logged a lot of time together, Brown thinks that from a chemistry standpoint these Owls will experience greater success than last year’s team that finished in the basement of the East Division.
“We’re just more broad-based,” Brown said. “Our volleyball IQ is enhanced with some of the older kids. It’s a team that will really compete.”
SeasonBrowser: Volleyball
Last year: 12-17, 5-12 Sun Belt
Coach: Jody Brown (203-194 entering 15th season at FAU, overall)
Sun Belt pre-season poll: Fifth in the six-team East Division
Starters returning: 4
Player to watch: Setter Joanne Marras Tate may not begin the season as a starter, but she might quickly assume the role. If Brown doesn’t redshirt her, Marras Tate will likely be a starter by the start of conference play. “She’ll be one of our superstars. She’s a phenomenal setter. She will be, without as doubt, one of the top setters in the league,” Brown said.
Instant message: “I don’t think a lot of people really know how good we are going to be, so I’m OK with that.”
– FAU coach Jody Brown assessing the Owls being selected
to finish fifth out of the six Eastern Division teams in the Sun Belt pre-season poll.