SLIPPERYROCK — Jessica Speicher hears it all the time.

With a name like Speicher (pronounced spiker), what else could she do but play volleyball?

"No, I don't get tired of it," the SlipperyRock HighSchool senior says, laughing. "A lot of people see my name and don't now how to pronounce it, so they don't make the connection."

The Rockets' lone senior wasn't always a volleyball player. Speicher played soccer most of her young life and the one year in middle school when she did play volleyball didn't make her yearn for more.

"I played in seventh grade and to tell you the truth, I didn't like it," Speicher said. "I didn't even play in eighth grade."

She was all set to play soccer once she entered high school, but didn't get along with some of the soccer players, so she went back to volleyball.

That fortuitous turn of events has paid off handsomely for Speicher and the Rockets.

In just two years of varsity, Speicher has set four school records and is poised to add to them this season.

She holds the school marks for digs in a season (183) and in a career (301) as well as passes in a season (294) and in a career (431).

Setting four school records was something not even in Speicher's thoughts as a freshman, looking up to players like Beth Mihalik, Danielle Hogue and Ashlee Shearer, who led the Rockets to an 18-0 regular season record.

"I wanted to be like them," Speicher said. "But when I was a freshman, I was a little intimidated by them. I always looked up to them and wished I could be like them."

Speicher's volleyball skills, though, were very raw as a freshman and she admits "I wasn't very serious about volleyball."

But as all those players she looked up to graduated, leaving many holes to fill in the lineup, Speicher decided to seize the opportunity.

She started an extreme workout regime. She practiced her skills and honed them. By the time she became a full-time starter during her sophomore season, she had added three inches to her vertical leap.

She needs every inch; at barely 5-feet-5 inches, Speicher is one of the shorter outside hitters around.

"Well, technically I'm 5-4¾," Speicher said. "But I like to round it up."

Her work ethic is legendary around SlipperyRock High School.

Speicher said she runs every day. She hits the weights and swims in the pool.She's an-admitted workout fiend.

It gets noticed in practice.

"They make fun of me during conditioning because everyone else is dying, breathing heavy and sweating and coach (Greg) Dugan will look at me and yell "you're not even sweating yet."

Dugan, who is entering his seventh season as theRockets coach, has developed a successful program and has produced more than a few college players.

"Jess is the hardest worker and (one of the) most competitive players I have ever coached," Dugan said.

Speicher will have to lead even more than just by example this season.

Slippery Rock is very young and Speicher is the captain and only senior on the team.

She has to be the leader on the court and the source of optimism off of it as well.

"Sometimes, I feel all alone out there," Speicher said. "Everyone looks up to me. I'm the only voice out there and that's a little scary sometimes.

"But in the huddle, I make sure they know I wasn't always like this. It didn't happen for me overnight. I worked hard to get better."

Last year was a disappointing one for Speicher and the Rockets. SlipperyRock finished 9-5 and tied for third in the section with Wilmington, but Speicher though they could have accomplished more.

"We had the talent to go out there and get it done," Speicher said. "But we got discouraged a lot and shut down."

If Speicher has anything to do with it, that won't happen this season.

SlipperyRock opens Saturday by hosting a tournament in its new gymnasium.

"It's really exciting," Speicher said. "The new gym has been the talk of the school since they started building it. I can't wait."

The new gym figures to draw more people than are typically at a volleyball match. That's fine withSpeicher, who hopes to be playing in front of big crowds in college next year.

"I have a highlight tape," Speicher said. "I just need to edit it."