Volleyball: Meet Towson's 'twin' hitters

It's simply impossible to tell where you may be reading these words. Impossible to determine the time, weather, or what could possibly be going on while your eyes scan these words. There are thousands of undeterminable variables that are both easily altered and constantly changing. But at least two things are for sure. The sun is rising somewhere. And Ally Perko and Maddie Haseltine are together. Somewhere. "We're roommates, and we're on the same team, and we're always on the court together and stuff, but we don't really get sick of each other," Perko said. "It's cool that even though it's like we're together all the time, it still works out and I'm still okay with seeing her every second of my life." They are called the "twins." The two sophomores play the same position (outside hitter), and also have similar backgrounds, interests (tanning and the mall), food preferences (Panera Bread and sushi), groups of friends, favorite TV shows ("Grey's Anatomy"), and even hygiene. "We shower regularly," Perko said reassuringly. It goes well beyond finishing each other's sentences, which they also do regularly. It is yet to be determined whether the myth of one twin feeling the other's pain applies in Perko and Haseltine's case. However, it is pretty safe to say that they both share in their successes, which to this point there have been plenty of. Both have recently eclipsed the 500-kill mark, a milestone neither expected to reach so early in their collegiate careers. "I thought we'd have to come in and contribute, but I didn't think as much because there were so many of us," Haseltine said. "There [were] like five outside hitters last year." The fellow Midwesterners-Perko from Kirtland, Ohio, and Haseltine from St. Louis-were part of an eight-member freshmen class in 2005 that was immediately called upon by former head coach Chris Riley to defend Towson's 2004 CAA Championship, its first in program history. Adding to the pressure was competition for playing time opposite then-senior April Hoffman, the school's all-time career kills leader with 1,588. "If you didn't do well, it was kind of like you were threatened when you were out there," Haseltine said. But there was no better way of discovering the importance of a good outside hitter than by battling for reps alongside one of the best in school history. "They didn't have to be relied upon so heavily, they could just get their experience and get their feet wet," Towson head coach Paul Koncir said. "But seeing how important an outside hitter is-that needs to go out and put the ball away so often-seeing that last year for them was very important." It was not long before they would have to go from getting "their feet wet" to diving headfirst into the void Hoffman was bound to leave. With Hoffman gone, the twins were thrust into the spotlight with no choice but to deliver. "It's like big shoes that we were filling," Perko said. "We had a lot of pressure last year just as freshmen, but this year we had even more pressure just because there's no other option really." The days of feeling pressured to perform, with the threat of a fully-capable replacement waiting for the coach's nod, were finally gone. The positions were theirs. "Our first couple of matches, it kind of hit us, like all right, this is what we're going to be doing," Haseltine said. The numbers suggest that they have made the adjustment quite well. Both have already eclipsed their freshmen kill totals. Perko, who has taken on a greater load defensively has nearly four times (300) as many digs as she did at the end of her freshman campaign (84). Haseltine got to within one kill of tying Towson's single-match record with the 28 she put up against Ohio State, while Perko has bumped her career-high to 22, up from her high of 14 a year ago. Together, they have combined for 26 double-doubles in 24 matches. But according to them, the stats are of little significance. They saw Hoffman break the program's kills record, yet are too aware of the complimentary nature of their play to be concerned with following suit. "Both being there, one of us isn't going to get a majority [of the sets], it's kind of like we split the April Hoffman role," Perko said. "If there was maybe a combination outside-hitting record we could definitely win that." While they may not compare stats or harp on individual performances, there is some aspect of the competitive nature of their freshmen seasons that has not completely worn off. "When we're in practice and we're scrimmaging, and if we're not on the same side, if she blocks me I get really pissed," Perko said. Those grudges don't last. They are born out of competition, but squashed by mutual respect mixed with a healthy sense of humor. Which seems fitting for two best friends who, at any point, may be singing on chairs or holding dance parties in their dorm room (which they describe as having "good feng shui"). From two roommates who share their dorm with a fish named Phrank, and who take issues with their volleyball sneakers in stride. "We get pedicures when we have toenails," Haseltine said. "I just lost two last week." From two teammates who describe Hoffman as "uncloneable." And from a pair that realizes their relationship is very much symbolic of that of the entire team. "We're all friends," Perko said. "We have to be. I spend like every second of my life with all of them." Chances are that even rings true this very moment, regardless of when "this very moment" may be.

Comments

1 comments

Volly ball creeper

Fri Oct 2 2009 21:49

sick article

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