Fresno State Athletics
Mentality Of A Competitor
9/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 29, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - If you met Karlie Houston for the first time you would think she is an easy going person who just likes to have fun.
However if you know her as the true volleyball player you may discover a different story.
The 6'0 outside hitter has the mentality of a competitor. When asked what her biggest athletic thrill was she responded, "it is hitting someone in the face on an attack. I actually was a track and field athlete as a high jumper and that burt me out so I played volleyball."
Houston who enjoys watching Ultimate Fighting feels that the sport has a brutal nature but compares it to volleyball. "The sport is a U.S. based mixed martial arts with minimal rules," said Houston. "It's no holds barred fighting one-on-one against each other. I kind of compare it to volleyball but with a little less contact. When you're out on the court you get matched up with an opponent on the other side of the net and it's just you and her. I've been obsessed with ultimate fighting for a few years now. I love it because fighting is their lives. They live and breathe to go beat up people in an octagon."
Houston also likes to snowboard and wakeboard in her free time to get away from the busy life she leads as a student-athlete. "I've been snowboarding since about 4th grade and I love it, it's hard to find time to get up to the mountains in the winter because of volleyball. I just recently started wakeboarding about a year ago."
Houston has emerged as one of key players for the Bulldogs averaging over two kills a game on 53.0 points this season in just 22 contests. The Sanger, California native was a three-time First-team All-league selection as a senior in high school also earned conference MVP. This past year Houston also earned all-tournament team honors in the Salbasgeon Suits Invitational.
While Houston is focused on being the best player she can for her team, she'll have a shot at helping the Bulldogs jump into the top of the Western Athletic Conference. With the next 15 volleyball matches approaching 14 are conference opponents. Houston realizes the important stretch of the second half of the season. "With these next few matches approaching I feel we have a chance to compete after playing some top ranked opponents."
Fresno State plays tonight against No. 15 ranked Hawai'i in the Save Mart Center at 7 p.m.
