Viking_Yearbook_78

person to talk with . Marlene knows a lot and is always willing to help." Kristi believes women 'sathleti csaren 't up to the standard of men's athletics. " We need more recognition and spec– tators to attend our games. When people realize we' re as good and as excit ing to watch as men, attitudes will change." The PSU Women 's Volleyball team has earned a reputa– tion for being tou ch competitors. The players are five-time regional champions. " We use game type situations and drills to improve our teamwork. I feel it is doing something for the game. The drills have helped to improve my spiking, setting and bumping techniques." When Kristi is out in a game, she doesn 't notice the pain from diving across the floor or when her arms turn red. " I've learned how to avoid pain and besides, my adrenal in is going so strong, I usually don 't notice it." Kristi feels the toughest team PSU has every played is USC. " If we could play against teams from California more often, our team would be up there in the top five in the nation. We' re not used to playing such tough and grue– some volleyball ; we can 't handle it." Kristi is confident PSU will have a chance to get into the top 10 in the national tournament in December, held in Alabama this year. " When we play against better teams, we're bound to get better. I think that's holding PSU back from becoming national champs. It's hard to become motivated or excited about a team you know you can beat." Kristi comes from an athletic family . Kristi ' s parents bumped and spiked in the United States Volleyball Asso– ciation for a long time and naturally encouraged their children into the sport. The Volleyball Association served as a meeting place for Kristi and Vik coach Marlene Piper, who needed no " scou t" to tell her of the super freshman' s abilities. " I could have gone to University of Oregon bu t I wanted a change from Eugene and besides I was impressed with Coach Piper and the PSU program." Kristi 's super athletic status has never been more ap– parent than when she was in high school at North Eugene. She made the junior Regional all -star team in volleyball and won the Most Valuable Player award in softball , too . In her senior year, she took the MVP awards for volleyball and basketball and made the Northwest League all -star softball team as an outfielder- a feat she achieved a record three times playing with the john Deere softball squad . Being on the road for away-games can be hard on Kristi 's studying. " Most of my profs are pretty understanding when the team travels a lot and I miss midterms and finals. I usually take my books along on a trip out of state, but when the tournaments begin, I start watching the games and forget the books." When not playing PSU volleyball, sottball or lifting weights, Kristi takes time out on Sunday with several other women and plays volleyball against the Clair Argow Detention Center team . " We beat them at first, but now they are becoming a strong and aggressive team. They need to learn some of the fine points and technical skills of the game and then-look out! " Thee Sunday matches have led to our team playing the men at Multnomah County Correctional Institute. We will be playing on asphalt so I won 't be doing any diving across the ground. " Kristi would like to eventually work with small children in some capacity. • --------------------------------------------~~~~~~--=-=-~~----------~~~ -- 35