A good leader is one who can be different things for her team atdifferent times. Maybe that's why Lisa Beauchene fits intothe role so perfectly for the Sacramento State volleyball team.
On one hand, Beauchene serves as the team's leader on thecourt. The offense runs through her, wins and losses depend largelyon the decisions she makes.
"I've got to be aware of the entire game, everyplayer. I've got to make adjustments when I see where theirhitters and blockers are lined up," Beauchene said."It's a big responsibility."
On the other hand, she's the team's co-captain,which has less to do with her performance on the court than it doeswith the influence she has on her teammates off of it.
"Off the court I try to be there for the younger playerswho might have questions or for anyone else on the team who mighthave a problem," Beauchene said. "I try to be a friendto everybody."
Beauchene has been a first team All-Big Sky selection over thelast two seasons and has won the Big Sky Conference Tournament MVPtwo of the last three years.
"She's well liked by her teammates," headcoach Debby Colberg said. "She's very even tempered andshe does a good job of leading by example."
That example can be a tough one to follow if you'reanother member of the Sac State volleyball team.
She was named to the all-tournament teams in all four preseasontournaments this year and holds the school's season andcareer records for hitting percentage.
Although most setters can easily be overlooked by casualobservers, Beauchene warrants attention because she is a threatoffensively. She has posted seven triple-doubles this year and isnear the top of the conference in assists and hittingpercentage.
Still, it's the ability to mix leadership with performancethat stands out the most.
Beauchene was not able to get into the flow offensively inSaturday's match against Idaho State. After one game, she hadonly two kills.
It was at that point when she changed her gameplan. She had 19assists over the next two games and put teammate Jennifer Fergusonon track to a career-high 13 kills and a .500 hittingpercentage.
As the contest got more competitive, she turned to the rest ofher teammates on several occasions and simply clapped a few times,urging them to stay focused.
Eventually, while picking and choosing her opportunities,Beauchene ended the match just two kills short of yet anothertriple-double.
"As a setter, you have to keep your head about you,"Colberg said. "You're making split-second decisions outthere. Setters can make or break your team."
It's a lot of pressure, but pressure is nothing new toBeauchene, who led her team to several league and district titlesat Fife High School, as well as the Washington State AAchampionship in 1996.
Ironically, she nearly took her skills to one of SacState's biggest rivals, Eastern Washington University. Hermajor at the time was the key to her choosing to leave her hometownof Auburn, Wash.
"I wanted to do nursing," Beauchene said. "Iknew Sac had a good nursing program and that their volleyballprogram was successful, so I chose to come here."
Since then, her major has changed, but her approach to the gamehas not.
"Every time I go out there, I compare myself to the other(team's) setter," Beauchene said. "I want to makebetter decisions than she does and make sure she doesn't beatme."
If the last two matches are any indication, in which Beauchenehas topped her opponents in assists by a combined 71-51, herapproach is working.
As she enters the stretch run of her college career, Beauchenehas tried to see that some of her philosophy rub off on herteam.
"I want to be known as someone who was fun to play withand who challenged her teammates to be better," Beauchenesaid. "Confidence and competitiveness are two of the biggestthings you can have. The more confident and competitive you are,the better you play."
Beauchene has tried to keep her options open after graduation.She has an interest in apparel marketing and design and is thinkingabout pursuing a job as a buyer.
She might decide to continue her volleyball career in an outdoorprogram in the South.
She is also considering a career in coaching. Listen to her forlong enough and it becomes clear how fitting that choice wouldbe.
