Up and down. Up and down again. And up and down some more.
It’s the best way to describe the San Diego State volleyball team’s 2006 season.
And it’s also how senior right side hitter Audra Dent ended her career in red and black.
Up: On Thanksgiving, SDSU ousted No. 20 BYU in five games to start the Mountain West Conference Tournament.
Down: The following night, the Aztecs fell to Colorado State in a three-game sweep. It was the third time this season SDSU fell to the Rams – a team that hadn’t beaten BYU during the regular season.
Dent’s seen her fair share of adversity. She was, after all, a member of the 2004 Aztec squad that finished 4-25. But the ending to what has been a spectacular college career left Dent – the ultimate competitor in every regard – more unsatisfied than ever.
“It was the worst,” said Dent, whose team finished 12-18 (6-11 in MWC play). “We were definitely inconsistent. It was weird because we could beat BYU and the next day go out and get our butts kicked by Colorado State.
“I don’t know why it was like that because we have the talent, and it’s frustrating.”
And what happened before the match against the Cougars at the MWC banquet definitely didn’t help ease Dent’s frustration.
A highlight video was shown that upset Dent and, in a way, sparked the team’s effort against BYU.
“We totally got no recognition,” Dent said. “We were barely in the video, and I think that really pissed a lot of people off.
“Maybe that was more fuel to prove how good we are, and I think the banquet was not cool. Every single year we’ve gotten gypped a little bit, but we weren’t last in the conference and we beat some good teams; it seems like people forgot about it.”
However the downs and frustration at the end didn’t ruin the experience for Dent, who finished second on the team in blocks per game and kills per game.
“It still hasn’t hit me yet, but I’m going to miss the girls and being on a team and all that,” Dent said. “I’m going to miss the competition, but I’m going to keep playing.”
She may have already made that decision, but it leads to another one.
Dent could pursue a professional career in Europe, much like last year’s 6-foot-5 middle blocker Lindsey Noll is currently doing in France.
But as a native of the Santa Cruz, Calif., area, Dent admits she’s a beach bum. And she also knows she’s a pretty good volleyball player as well.
So with that, Dent plans to combine the two and try her hand at some beach volleyball – at least for now.
“Why not do the two things I love – be on the beach and play volleyball,” Dent said. “I’ve always trained for indoor, but I’m going to be able to train more on the beach.
“After that, it depends on how the beach goes. If it’s not going the best, then I’m going to go overseas, probably once I graduate.”
