For Maddy Monserez, the Active Ankle Challenge wasn’t just another three wins for the Gators. Instead, last weekend’s matches against Jacksonville, Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia Tech were the first time that the sophomore played right back for Florida.
“I hadn’t played it since I’ve been here, maybe at practice a little bit, but not in a game, so that was exciting,” Monserez said. “It was good for me to be exposed to that so I know what I need to work on. The coaches were great helping me out with it and giving me advice and my team members on the bench were great. When I would come off, they’d let me know things that I didn’t see when I was doing it, so that was really helpful.”
Monserez, who typically plays middle back, has now played all three back-row positions in a match. Although the right back and middle back positions have similarities, Monserez said that there is a slight difference between the two.
“On the surface it seems like they’re pretty similar, because it is just playing defense, but because of our system it makes a difference on where I’m supposed to go on certain balls,” Monserez said. “I’ll be more responsible for tips at right back, where in middle back it’s mostly deeper balls. It’s mainly moving forward and back where as middle back is more side to side.”
Communication with blockers is another difference between the two positions. At right back, Monserez is responsible for most tips, so she needs to ensure that she’s not trying to dig where the front row is blocking.
The Gators are known for their powerhouse hitting, so practicing right back wasn’t an easy task. Monserez didn’t get to practice digging tips until Friday night against Jacksonville.
“We like to go hit so I wasn’t really used to working short and then going for the deep balls, so that was something that I had to learn really quick during the game,” Monserez said.
Despite facing a limited style of attacks at practice, the number of digs Monserez recorded per match improved significantly in her first weekend at right back. Monserez averaged 4.8 digs per match at middle back this season compared to 6.7 per match at right back.
As the Gators head to Arkansas to play their first Southeastern Conference match on Friday, coach Mary Wise is confident in Monserez’s ability to perform well again at right back if called upon.
“She has that gutsy type of persona that you want in that position,” Wise said. “Who you see off the court is the exact opposite of who you get on the court. You would never know if you met Maddy just what a bulldog she can be on the court.”
Contact Katie Agostin at kagostin@alligator.org.
