When Minnesota volleyball player Erin Martin tried to figure out Illinois’ hitting and serving struggles after the Gophers’ four-game win during the weekend, the senior outside hitter was at a loss for words.
“I don’t know what their problem was,” Martin said.
What Martin didn’t realize was Illinois’ biggest problem was sitting to her left.
Minnesota’s libero, junior Paula Gentil, gave the Illini offense fits throughout the night, converting nearly every attack shot at her into a seamless transition into the second-ranked Gophers offense.
Because of that digging ability, the Illini often tried to hit around Gentil, resulting in 32 hitting errors and 19 service errors.
The explanation isn’t a new one. Gentil has collected All American honors in her first two seasons with the Gophers because of her defensive dominance – something no other libero in the nation can say.
This season, Gentil has continued her outstanding defensive play. She leads the team with 483 digs and shattered her own record for digs in a game with 39. But she was also given a chance to go on the offensive when an NCAA rule change before the start of this season allowed liberos to serve.
So is it possible she just became more valuable to the team?
“I think so,” coach Mike Hebert said. “Already, she’s, in my opinion, our most valuable player. Her presence on the court determines how we play. To add the fact that she can serve is quite an extra layer of benefit.”
Hebert said Gentil’s serving has benefited the team in ways a stat sheet can’t reflect – such as forcing a defense into bad passes and broken plays.
But if the stat sheets were the only way to judge her success, Gentil would still shine brighter than any other server on the team.
She has 28 service aces – a full 13 more than Lisa Reinhart, who ranks second on the team.
“I like to (get aces). Who doesn’t?” Gentil said. “Other than acing, I can’t get anybody. I can’t go up for a kill like I used to.”
Gentil has relied on a wide array of serving styles en route to her ace tally. Hebert said she uses floating and fast serves of both the stationary and jumping variety.
Despite this being her first year as a server for Minnesota, Hebert said, he knew Gentil was dangerous behind the line even before she came to Minnesota.
“She had the best arsenal on the club circuit,” Hebert said. “When she was first recruited, I told her, ‘I think there’s a rule coming on the horizon that liberos are going to be able to serve.’ She definitely got excited about that.”
Gentil said she was excited, because in her home country, Brazil, she practiced serving for more than an hour each practice.
But for two years, Gentil was forced to stay out of the serving rotation because of NCAA rules.
Gentil said she asked Hebert for the chance to serve before each of her first two seasons.
Then finally, when coaches discussed rule changes during the offseason, Hebert stepped up to help answer her request.
“I was one of the people that spoke in favor of it,” Hebert said. “But there were plenty that were like-minded.”
The libero serving rule is still fairly experimental internationally. For now, it is only being used on the collegiate level.
Though that is discouraging for a talented libero and server, Gentil said she’ll always have her talent for serving, no matter when the opportunity arises.
“It’s like riding a bike. You cannot ride for so long, but you still know how to ride,” Gentil said. “You’ve just got to polish it a little.”
