Maxwell, Timmer battle at setter position for volleyball team
For the Central Michigan volleyball team, there is one position battle that stands out: the battle for the setter position.
“I don’t know where it’s going to go, and my assistants tell me good luck with that one,” head coach Erik Olson said. “It’s going to be a tough one.”
The decision is between incumbent setter junior All-MAC Tournament selection Kelly Maxwell and incoming freshman Jordan Timmer.
“Jordan (Timmer) is such a talent, but Kelly (Maxwell) has such great leadership and energy,” Olson said.
The fact that there is even a question about the position speaks volumes to how good Timmer actually is.
Maxwell is coming off a fantastic season, during which she lead the Chippewas to their first Mid-American Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance by totaling 1,314 assists (10.95 per set) on the season.
Those numbers were good for No. 4 in CMU history for total assists in a single-season and No. 6 for assists per set in a single-season.
“I think I have a little bit of an advantage on her (Timmer), because I was with the team last year when we won the MAC Championship,” Maxwell said. “I think that’ll help me in the competition, but there is still some things that we count on each other for.”
What Timmer lacks in experience, she makes up for in raw athletic talent. Olson said he was looking for his setters to earn more kills on dumps this season — something Timmer excels in.
“I’m more aggressive at the net, and I can be more of an attacker,” Timmer said.
Together, Maxwell and Timmer create what seems to be the all-around perfect setter. Olson could flip the two players in and out, depending on the team’s opponent and game strategy.
“We can’t lose, either one of them are good,” Olson said. “Right now, Timmer is the better athlete, but Maxwell is the better setter.”
With the competition, the two setters have created a bond that allows them both to learn from each other, while competing for the position.
“Those two have become a position together,” Olson said. “I’m very happy those two have figured out how to bond. Whoever ends up starting — they are supportive of the other one.”
