As Western Michigan University's volleyball team opens Mid-American Conference play this weekend, the tendency for some will be to take a walk down memory lane, reliving last season's championship which saw WMU go unbeaten in the MAC regular season and conference tournament.

With three freshmen seeing a lot of playing time alongside a lot of veteran talent, this is a whole new ballgame, though.

And last year was last year.

"When last season comes up, we redirect the conversation to talk about the process because we can't focus on last season," head coach Colleen Munson said. "That was a byproduct of us focusing on the process, and if we focus on the outcome, we'll lose track of our system and not be who we are."

Who the Broncos (4-7 overall) are will be shown on Friday and Saturday against Buffalo (4-9) at University Arena. Friday's match is a 6 pm start and Saturday's is a 3 pm start.

Every MAC opponent knows who setter Logan Case, hitters like Keona Salesman, Anna Calcagno, Mary Clare Brusek, Julia Marr, Amanda Glanton and Madison Merz and back row players Andelyn Simkins and Reeghan Boyer are.

Freshmen outside hitter Annalise Patchett and defensive specialists Carley Piercefield and Elana Erickson could easily be flying under the radar. Especially after WMU played a schedule which was about as hard as Munson has ever put together. The Broncos played four matches against ranked teams and they also played against Clemson and Michigan State.

"Coming in as freshmen, we talked about just being us, and we may find a spot or not find a spot on the court," Piercefield said.

All three have found those coveted spots. While Salesman leads the Broncos in total kills with 155 and Calcagno is second at 106, Patchett is third with 62. In blocking, Brusek leads the way with 15 assisted blocks, Case has seven and Patchett is in a group with Merz and Glanton with six.

On defense, Simkins has 209 digs, Case 120 and Boyer 102. But don't take the freshmen for granted as Piercefield has 85 digs and Erickson 84. They all give Case the ball to start the attack and she is second in the nation in assists per set, 11.41.

With the graduation of All-MAC outside hitter Maggie King, Patchett had a tough task. Comparing Patchett as a freshman to what King did last season isn't one bit fair, according to Munson.

"Maggie got a lot of balls as a freshman, and we have a more refined system at this point than we did at that point," the head coach said. "In her first season, Maggie had to figure out why her shots weren't working like they were in high school and Annalise is the same.

"The ball is coming faster, whether it's attacking or serving and she has more responsibility as a blocker because multiple opponents can put the ball away. In her attacking, she has to take a more aggressive approach."

But Patchett learned a lot.

"I watched Maggie play…I was taking notes," Patchett said. "She is so talented and such a nice person on and off the court.

"I didn't feel like I was filling Maggie's shoes. The coaches never asked me to do that. They told me to play like myself so I've never felt that pressure."

Well…there was her first collegiate match against Loyola Marymount.

"I was shaking," she said with a smile. "If you zoomed in on my hands at the start of the match, my hands were shaking, but it went okay.

"I got the first couple of swings under my belt, then I was okay."

Erickson and Piercefield both knew if they focused on digging the ball, they may see the court.

"I've always been a back row person," Erickson said. "I'm not the tallest person, so going into college, I figured I would have to play back row and I really like it."

All three found out very quickly the speed of the college game is about 150 times faster than the high school game.

"The ball comes at me a lot faster and it's been an adjustment," Erickson said. "That and the hitters in high school can't hit over the block like they do in college."

Added Piercefield: "The pace is a lot faster, but everyone around you is talking and you can focus on your job, knowing everyone around you is focusing on their game. That gives me a chance to mentally break down the game and slow it down a bit."

"Carley and Elana are making the adjustments and they are real easy to play next to, wanting to learn from the returners," Munson said.

The entire team has learned from a schedule where they held their own against several ranked teams. The Broncos beat No. 24 Marquette and played No. 15 Tennessee tough in the two matches in Knoxville.

"Every single point requires us to be dialed in," Munson said about learning from the non-conference opponents. "We were playing point to point against some very, very physical teams with high volleyball IQ.

"There are so many lessons we've learned along the way. We're battle tested and very respectful of the MAC schedule and to play against conference teams who are good at different things we haven't seen."

"We have to remember who we are and take care of our side of the court."

It starts on Friday.