Alabama has not lost more than four matches in its preseason since 2009. That year, the team went 2-8, then went 8-22 overall.
Right now, as the Crimson Tide travels to DeKalb, Illinois, for its last preseason tournament, the Huskie Invitation, it’s sitting at 4-6.
“We’ve had [three] difficult weekends for a variety of reasons, and I feel like we’ve been challenged–probably been challenged,” coach Ed Allen said. “Probably been challenged as much as we’re going to be challenged at any particular time during the course of the year.”
With 12 out of the 14 players listed on an injury report in some way, shape or form throughout this preseason, Allen said that’s been the biggest challenge–figuring out how to deal with a team that’s not healthy. Especially in a tournament setting, where health is key.
“It’s physically tough for them to play three to four matches in a 40-hour period of time,” Allen said.
At the same time, preseason is a good thing for Alabama. It’s a time that the players can work together through some kinks.
“That’s basically what preseason is: the ‘pre’ for preparation and just to see where the team is,” freshman outside hitter Tabitha Brown said.
This preseason has been a huge learning experience, she said, and regardless of the number of losses, preseason has been good for the team so far.
“If we had just swept through everybody, we wouldn’t have known anything,” Brown said. “It was really humbling as well, so we wouldn’t have been humble as well.”
Not new to the tournament style of preseason, senior setter Sierra Wilson said preseason can be incredibly frustrating, especially looking at this year’s. At the same time, she said that is not a bad thing though.
“I think that makes you better for seasonal growth,” Wilson said. “Without a preseason, you don’t get an opportunity to grow.”
Alabama may be having a rough start now, but without a preseason, going straight in the regular SEC season would be even worse. Especially since teammates are new to each other, every team would experience a rough start, she said.
The team has already learned a lot about what it needs to fix and improve on before the regular season starts in about a week’s time.
“I just know that we have to be aggressive, put everything on the court,” Brown said. “We know what it means to do that now, so we’ll have to carry that into this upcoming tournament.”
Not only is this the last tournament of Alabama’s preseason, as a senior, it’s Wilson’s last tournament with the team. She’s been bringing these thoughts about it being her last season into each match.
“My mindset being a senior is every one of these big milestone[s] is my last one,” Wilson said. “I think this helps really up the ante for me personally and try to drive the team to an upper level play as well.”
Alabama will face one more of these preseason milestones starting Friday at 11 a.m. against Western Kentucky. It will later play NIU and Northern Iowa during the tournament.
With a 4-6 record, Alabama hopes to be more successful during this final tournament than it was in its most recent ones. It wants to turn this preseason around and end it on a good note before heading into SEC play.
“Just having the will to fight is something that we’re really trying to find in this preseason,” Wilson said. “We’re getting there. We’re getting to that place, and I think that’s so important.”
