COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW : Matadors Will Begin a New Era Under Lu : Northridge: First-year CSUN women’s coach stresses defense.

Lian Kang Lu, recognized as one of the world’s foremost volleyball coaches, will begin a new chapter in his career today when the Cal State Northridge women’s team plays Fresno State in the opening match of the Anteater Invitational at UC Irvine.

Lu was an assistant for the UC Santa Barbara women’s team from 1984-93 after coaching the Mexican national team in 1982-83 and the Beijing women’s professional team from 1968-81, but this is his first stint as a college head coach.

Although Lu says being a head coach at the NCAA Division I level “is no big deal” because of his experience, his hiring at Northridge last December was considered a major coup for a program that had been rocked by off-the-court controversy the previous year.

The Matadors finished 12-17 last season under John Price, who took over the program on a one-year interim basis after the four finalists to replace previous coach Walt Ker declined the job.

Ker posted a 401-144 record during his 14 seasons at Northridge and guided the Matadors to their first berth in the Division I playoffs in 1992, yet he resigned abruptly in January of 1993, citing “family reasons” for his decision.

Later it was learned that Ker’s resignation came after two Northridge players filed a written complaint accusing him of sexual harassment. Other former players also alleged that Ker had consensual sexual relations with players in the early 1980s.

Price, who guided the Matador men’s team to the 1993 NCAA final, tried to get the Northridge women to play a fast-paced attacking game, but they struggled in that role.

Lu, 60, values a strong attack, but says the heart and soul of a quality women’s team is its defense.

“Playing defense gives you a good will, a good fighting spirit,” he said. “It makes you tough. . . . It’s very important in women’s volleyball because there are so many rallies.”

Ana Kristich, one of the Matadors’ four returning starters, says it’s taken time to adapt to Lu’s system, but she and her teammates are learning.

“It’s definitely very different because we’re used to a more attacking kind of style,” Kristich said. “We’re going to have to get used to it. We’re getting better all the time, but I think it’s going to take us a month or so before we really start to play like we’re capable of.”

Kristich, a 6-foot-1 middle blocker, is one of five seniors in the starting lineup.

The others are left-side hitters Aimee Stone (5-10) and Missy Clements (5-11), right-side hitter Heather Anderson (6-2), and setter Kathleen Shannon (5-8), a transfer from Illinois.

Stone led the team in kills (458) and digs (352) last season. Clements ranked second with 405 kills, and Kristich had a team-high 136 total blocks.

Shannon had 687 assists for Illinois (18-13) last season and led the Fighting Illini to the second round of the NCAA playoffs after moving into the starting lineup following an 0-5 start. She transferred to Northridge in the spring to be close to fiance J.J. O’Laughlin, starting quarterback on the Matador football team.

Last season, freshman Gretchen Gulbranson had 947 assists as the setter for the Matadors. Gulbranson’s transfer to Moorpark College has left Northridge with a lack of depth at the position.

Randi Winn, a starter at Utah State last year, was expected to back up Shannon, but Lu said she left the team for personal reasons two weeks ago.

That leaves sophomore Erin Balderama as the reserve setter. The 5-7 defensive specialist is also expected to see extensive action as a back-row substitute for Stephanie Pfau, the Matadors’ other starting middle blocker.

Pfau, a 6-foot freshman, was an All-Southern Section Division III selection for South Torrance High last season.

“Stephanie has shown good consistency in practice,” Lu said. “She just lacks (college) experience.”

With only six of its 25 regular-season matches at home this year, Northridge must win consistently on the road to have a successful campaign. But Kristich doesn’t think that will be a problem. She said a return engagement in the Division I playoffs is conceivable.

“It hasn’t really been talked about that much, but I think everyone’s thinking that,” she said. “I think it’s a definite possibility.”