Saragosa and Sebbas making names for themselves

KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Middle blockers Stefani Saragosa, above, and Erin Sebbas, below right, have come into their own for the UA volleyball team. After two-time All-Pacific 10 Conference blocker Marisa DaLee graduated, coach David Rubio expected the pair to take over. According to him, they have.

JON HELGASON/Arizona Daily Wildcat

In baseball and football, the pitcher and the quarterback are the players who receive most of the attention on the team.

For instance, rarely is the second baseman who lays down a sacrifice bunt or the offensive lineman who creates the hole for the game-winning touchdown given much credit.

The same is true in volleyball.

Take the UA women's team, for example: The efforts of both senior Erin Sebbas and junior Stefani Saragosa - who play middle blocker - are often overlooked due to the success of other, more offense-oriented positions such as setter and hitter.

"Our middle (blockers) do a great job for us," junior outside hitter Lisa Rutledge said. "Middles definitely don't receive as much credit and glory that they deserve."

Coming into the 2001 season, Sebbas and Saragosa had some big shoes to fill. Marisa DaLee, a two-time All-Pacific 10 Conference first-team selection and one of the best middle blockers, graduated last spring.

"Stefani and Erin have met the expectations I had for them at the beginning of the season," UA head coach David Rubio said. "I attribute their hard work and dedication to the team in the success they have had this season."

Saragosa said that her role, as well as Sebbas', is to open up the court for the outside hitters by taking advantage of any opportunities that present themselves, offensively or defensively.

"We are the first line of defense as blockers, and that is more important than our offensive responsibilities," Saragosa said. "The ball comes to us first, and we need to touch as many balls in order to give our team a better defensive presence."

Saragosa and Sebbas entered the starting lineup this year in a very different fashion. Saragosa is a two-year starter, whereas Sebbas was a part-time player in her first three years at UA.

However, both faced transitions coming into this season.

Saragosa, a native of Chula Vista, Calif., has been injury prone in seasons past.

But increased off-season training on her part has paid off, as Saragosa has been injury-free this season, according to Rutledge.

"Stefani's health has done wonders for our team chemistry," she said. "Knowing that she is healthy and that we can rely on her to play hard has made our team chemistry that much better."

Rubio agreed.

"Stefani's health is critical for our success," Rubio said. "Now that Stefani is healthy, it makes training as a team easier. In her first two years, we had to monitor her in practice to avoid further injury, but now she is able to train hard every day. The benefit of that is apparent in our daily practices."

Besides increasing the team's chemistry, Saragosa is considered the most intense player on the team by her coach.

"When she is on the floor, we are on a different level," Rutledge said. "Her fire and intensity makes everyone on the court work harder."

Currently, Saragosa is second in the Pac-10 with a .404 hitting percentage. She is also No. 8 in the conference with a 1.14 block per game average.

On the other hand, Sebbas has practiced hard for three years in order to have an opportunity to be a full-time player in her senior season.

Sebbas, a native of Alta Loma, Calif., said the transition to an increased role was smoother thanks to the support of her teammates.

"My teammates made it really easy for me," Sebbas said. "Everyone on this team are great athletes, and practicing with them makes my job that much easier."

Saragosa said Sebbas' work ethic and dedication to UA have been remarkable.

"Erin has changed a lot this season," Saragosa said. "She is playing like a senior that is ready to play. Her work ethic is great. She is a workhorse, and she gives it her all every day in practice."

Saragosa and Sebbas' transitions have also been eased by UA associate head coach Charita Johnson.

Johnson graduated from Arizona in 1994 as one of the most prolific middle blockers in school history.

"Having Charita show me what it takes to be a dominant middle blocker every day has been great," Saragosa said. "I have learned a lot from Marisa and Charita, and that has been great for me. I want to now take what I have learned and make my own mark at Arizona."