Kirsten Bernthal Booth can laugh at the thought now. Coming into the season, the Creighton volleyball coach liked almost every aspect of Laurel Sanford's game, but Booth wasn't convinced that the sophomore could be big on the block.

Now it's crystal clear that both Sanford and Jessica Houts have the right stuff at the net.

Houts and Sanford, middle blockers who don't play in the front row at the same time, have helped the Bluejays become the best blocking team in the Missouri Valley. Creighton leads the league — and is No. 3 nationally — with an average of 3.05 blocks per set, with Houts (1.44) and Sanford (1.26) ranking 1-2 atop the Valley in stuffs.

Houts, a returning honorable-mention All-America pick, is ninth in the NCAA in blocks per set. But the surprising development is that Sanford, who ranks No. 33 nationally, isn't that far behind CU's star senior.

“It's remarkable what Laurel is doing,” Booth said. “Offensively, I knew she was up to par, but I really felt her deficiency was blocking.

“Laurel has definitely had a breakout year. Do I think that she and (freshman setter) Megan (Bober) can connect better some nights? Absolutely.

“But Laurel has had a great season and will be a key cog to our success down the stretch.”

As a rookie in 2008, the 6-foot Sanford appeared in 17 matches as CU's top middle blocker off the bench.

The Eagan, Minn., native averaged one kill and 0.46 blocks per set as a freshman.

But there's no question that Creighton has needed Sanford to play a more prominent role in 2009.

Senior middle blocker Lauren Bloemke, a returning starter, decided to sit out the season to recover from her spring knee injury. Bloemke will apply for a medical redshirt and expects to be back with the Bluejays in 2010.

“Obviously nobody knew coming into the year that Lauren was going to redshirt,” said Sanford, who's averaging 1.66 kills on .247 hitting. “But I really wanted to push myself to be one of the starters and prove to the coaches that I could play.

“I think that approach really helped me, and I just came into the year with an open mind.”

So what clicked for Sanford that allowed her to become a wall in the front row? Much of it is improved technique, the sophomore said, from working with Paul Giesselmann, CU's top assistant.

But most of it, Booth believes, comes down to Sanford's more aggressive attitude.

Booth praised Sanford for becoming much more mentally tough as a sophomore.

Sanford said she battled homesickness as a rookie, and she admits that she let things that happened on the court rattle her confidence.

“She's made probably one of the biggest 180-degree turnarounds that I've seen in my coaching career,” Booth said. “She really has gone from being a passive player to showing some leadership.

“I didn't know if she had that in her — especially already during her sophomore year.”

Creighton is facing a key Valley match tonight, when the Bluejays host a Drake team that's enjoying its best season since 1996.

CU will be looking to avenge a four-set October loss to the Bulldogs in Des Moines.

As host of the Valley tournament, Creighton receives an automatic bid into the league playoffs at the end of November.

But the Bluejays still are battling for their tournament seed. Drake (18-9, 7-6 Valley) sits in fourth place in the conference, while Creighton (9-14, 6-7) is tied for fifth.

Contact the writer:

444-1207, chad.purcell@owh.com