Playing faster was an idea brought by Johnson, who believes that the fast-paced rhythm of the team’s offense can make the most of their hitters. Junior setter Julia Bishop has adapted well to it while freshman Cameron Berger also had no issues playing this way.
The new style has reflected positively on the team as the Spartans have hit a .237 efficiency rate, displaying some noticeable progress from last year’s average of .203.
“We did speed up the offense a little bit, and Julia is a big reason for that because she can play the same so fast,” Johnson explained. “You want to use your pieces to their strengths. And she’s a risk taker by heart, that is where she shines. I needed to put her in a position to be able to take more risks or feel like she’s on the attack versus the defense as an offensive component. I think it’s made for defending our offense more challenging, that speed creates space for all of our attackers differently. We feel good about our ability to serve and pass, to stay competitive. It won’t be perfect all the time, that’s not the game of volleyball. But it’ll be competitive.”
