After struggling with injuries for most of last season, the Illinois volleyball team finally gets the chance to start anew this weekend, opening the 2005 season on the road at Illinois State.

Last year, head coach Don Hardin led a senior laden team to a 19-11 record and a first round NCAA tournament loss.

While the season would have been considered a success at most schools, Hardin said it was very disappointing for his Illini.

“It was not one of our better years. It started out as one of our best years, but then we got banged up,” Hardin said. “This could be last year in reverse.”

Undefeated after a thrilling five-set win over then No.1-ranked USC at Huff Hall in September, the Illini slowly began to fade down the stretch. Injuries to senior Erin Virtue and freshman Jen Hynds forced Hardin to play some of his inexperienced players.

The team still played well, but lost five of its last six matches – including a four-set loss to Louisville in the NCAA tournament.

Luckily for Hardin, by playing his younger players last year, he is able to enter this season with a roster full of talented and capable players.

“Coming into this year I was a little nervous because we had a lot of injuries,” said senior outside hitter Rachel VanMeter, “but as soon as we stepped on the court that first day of practice all that went away.

“Right now we look like we have all the talent in the world.”

VanMeter, who was recently named a unanimous preseason first-team all-Big Ten selection, is coming off a season in 2004 in which she led the Illini with 483 kills.

In addition to VanMeter, the Illini also return fellow senior outside hitter Rasa Virsilate.

Virsilate, who was third on the team last year with 360 kills, has spent the last few weeks rehabing surgery from an unexpected heart murmor and was recently cleared to play Friday against ISU.

Junior defensive specialist Beth Vrdsky is also back, and Hardin expects her to be intregal part of the Illini rotation.

“Beth comes in and passes to the back row, and is a phemonenal defensive player who always makes some remarkable saves,” said Hardin.

Other players returning from last year’s team include juniors Meg Griffin, Meghan Macdonald and Katy Pratapas, as well as sophomores Hynds, Stephanie Obermeier and Vicki Brown.

Hardin’s roster also includes four freshmen: Lizzie Bazzetta, Rachel Henderson, Kayani Turner and Jana Wojcik.

Bazzetta is the younger sister of Kathleen Bazzetta, a former defensive specialist who graduated last year.

For most teams, such a large contrast in ages could damper team chemistry, but VanMeter believes this team may be more cohesive than past Illini clubs.

“I think this team started out with really good chemistry, and chemistry and gelling was never really an issue for us,” she said. “We’ve just been working on what we need to fix.”

Henderson agreed.

“The chemistry has been awesome so far. To come into a new program, and everything just comes together, it’s really helped.”

With four Big Ten teams ranked in the top 12, Hardin said the Illini must be playing at full strength by the start of the conference season to have a legitimate shot at making a move in the conference.

“I think this year, if we keep everyone healthy, then that’s the key,” he said. “We may start a little rocky, but then hit our stride somewhere early in the Big Ten (season). And if everyone stays healthy, then we could finish as high as we’ve ever finished.”

“I think this will be the year of the biggest contrast,” Hardin added. “We may have one of the lower starts, but we also may have one of the higher finishes.”