Stetson University junior libero Alexa Drost has been a force in the Hatters' back row this season. She collected 26 digs in a match last week against Cal State Fullerton, she has twice been selected to all-tournament teams, and her 3.90 digs-per-set average ranks fourth in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

With her quick feet and smooth passing, it appears as though Drost has played libero her whole life, but that is not the case.  In fact, she played setter for several years before switching to defensive specialist her sophomore year at Green Valley High School outside Las Vegas. During that season, Drost saw some playing time in the back row but never as the team's libero. However, in the regional championship match with her team trailing 2-0, her coach told her to change her jersey and go in as the libero.

"It was really scary, but I was also really excited," Drost said. "It was a huge game. I knew what I had to do for the team, to go in there with a lot of enthusiasm. We needed momentum to push us through the next three games. I had one of the best games I ever had. I remember after that win, there was no feeling like it in the world. It was absolutely incredible."

Drost recalls a conversation she had with her dad after the match that still inspires her to this day.

"He told me, 'This is the moment for you. This is what you are meant to do. I am just so proud of you.' I will never forget that moment. That is what really drives me every time I play."

Drost's Green Valley Gators advanced to the state championship that year but fell short in the title match. As a junior, Drost, now the starting libero, helped get the team back to the championship match, but disappointment set in after the team fell in the final once again.

An ankle injury kept Drost out of the line-up early in her senior season, but she came back and got one last shot at the state championship. She also knew it would be her last game before heading off to college, and likely her last game playing alongside her younger sister, Nikki. Despite trailing 10-3 in the third set, Green Valley rallied for a 27-25 win over Reed High School, and Drost, who finished with 19 digs, finally had an opportunity to celebrate.

"I just remember when we won it, the first person I ran to was my sister, because that was what we had been working for our whole lives," Drost said. "That was what really bonded us as sisters. We would fight off the court when we were at home, but when we were on the court we were best friends. We always had each other's backs. She is an outside hitter, so I had to cover her and she would have to block for me."

Drost moved on to Stetson University, while her sister is now a freshman at Winthrop University in South Carolina.

"It started off with me and my sister playing in our front yard, three-way pyramid passing back and forth, and it is crazy to think how far we have both come," Drost said. "Not many girls from Nevada go on to play Division I volleyball."

Despite being just one of three Nevada residents at Stetson, Drost is loving every minute in the Sunshine State and every game with the Hatters. Her performance has helped spark Stetson to a 5-4 start heading into this weekend's Scenic City Showdown in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"Alexa is just really solid and steady back there," Stetson head coach Kristina Hernandez said. "Her serve receive is on point, she is reading really well on defense, she covers, and she talks. She is the core of our defense right now, and opponents are actively trying to stay away from her."

Drost has recorded double-digit dig totals in seven of the team's nine matches, and she earned all-tournament team honors at both The Citadel Invitational and the College of Charleston Classic.

"It's been an amazing experience with a new coaching staff and a new positive energy from the team," Drost said. "I know right now we are not in conference games yet, but right now these games are making us better and pushing us to get the next level where we want to be."

The Hatters will face tournament host Chattanooga (5-7) on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Stetson will face UT Martin (5-6) at 10 a.m. and South Carolina State (0-11) at 4:30 pm.

Live video and live stats will be available for all three matches. The Stetson volleyball twitter feed and Hatcheck text alerts will provde in-game updates as well.

Bounce Back: Stetson is looking to return to its winning ways after an 0-3 mark against some strong opponents last weekend. Hernandez says the team played well but fell victim to some unforced errors.

"It came down to a few serving errors here and there," Hernandez said. "Overall we hit at a real high percentage and we played defense well, even though other teams at that level are going to hit at a high percentage. The main thing we took away from that was that every single point is really important. We have to be actively engaged on every point and not just give away a serve in the net or a ball we are hitting out."