Being in the limelight isn’t their specialty … defense is.

Two of perhaps the most important players on the court for the Huskies are rarely noticed by the press, or even by spectators. Despite being overlooked, senior Jen Scarpino and junior Coley Johnsen play the position of defensive specialist with effort and heart.

“They are invaluable to this team,” said NIU volleyball coach Todd Kress. “Everybody on the team knows it. They are as important as our middles and our left side. They’re as big a part as anybody.”

The sand fleas, as they are referred to by their coaches and teammates, put their bodies on the line every night, diving to save much-needed points to help the Huskies win.

In a recent game, Coley Johnsen even got banged around by her own teammates. Twice within a five minute span she was knocked on the ground by a member of the Huskies. She calmly got up and began to prepare for the next ball she’d have to dig.

Jen Scarpino also has had her share of bruises, because she routinely dives onto the floor in an attempt to dig balls.

“It’s probably one of the tougher positions just because you do all the dirty work,” said Scarpino. “You gotta go in there and dig balls that people don’t expect you to dig. That’s your job. It won’t put up big numbers, but it doesn’t mean we’re not in there working just as hard as everybody else.”

If the position doesn’t seem tough to play, ask Johnsen how she feels after a game. The junior is covered in floorburns and bruises, and this past weekend she encountered her fifth concussion.

“I just got my fifth concussion and that’s insane,” said the 5-foot-7 inch Johnsen. “I don’t play football.”

Johnsen and Scarpino do more than just dig balls, according to Kress they also are primary passers and excellent servers.

The 5-foot-7-inch Scarpino is the only player on the team with more service aces than service errors, 18-10, and averages 2.03 digs per game. Johnsen is averaging 1.53 digs per game.

However, stats aren’t always what to look for when evaluating a player’s importance to a team. Not only does the tandem spend most of their minutes in the game on the floor diving and rolling, they do it without getting noticed. Their teammates know that without them the team would suffer.

“They are the ones that get the passes up so Bowman can set,” said junior middle blocker Jen VonderHaar. “No one ever recognizes them. Press-wise they are underappreciated, but with the team they aren’t, ’cause without them there we wouldn’t have any offense or any hitting at all.”

The job that these two do is essential to the team, and as Johnsen explains, they always have to be on their toes. If their blockers mess up they still have to make the play or the error gets charged to them.

Defense is important in every sport. Without these two laying themselves on the line, the Huskies’ success wouldn’t be as great as it is.

Both Scarpino and Johnsen said that despite the bruises, floorburns and lack of credit, they still love playing defensive specialist. However, Johnsen jokes that she would change positions, but only under one circumstance.

“Give me six inches and I’d play middle,” she said.