The Alumni volleyball match on Saturday brought together both the past and the present.

Three of the four graduating seniors from last year’s volleyball team were in attendance and Megan Kennedy led the alumni team with 16 kills.

Heather Redenbo, who now works for sports administration at Eastern, led the team with 19 digs.

Those were familiar sights in the 2005 season, when both were seniors.

Kennedy led the team in kills last season and Redenbo led the team in digs.

But the loss of Redenbo and Kennedy, as well as the team’s No. 2 in kills, Jessica Ackerman, and digs, Aja Kohlbecker, leaves the team in an uncertain situation.

Last season, Bennett was dealing with the loss of all-world hitter Erica Gerth.

Rather than try and replace Gerth’s record-setting numbers – she owns the record for most career kills and most career digs – Bennett employed a systematic approach to the season that didn’t emphasize one player.

This resulted in four Panthers finishing the season with more than 200 kills.

However, with the graduation of Ackerman and Kennedy, it remains to be seen who will fill the void and whether using the same approach for this season is the right choice.

After senior Kara Sorenson and junior Kera Griffin, Eastern is left with question marks.

Senior Mary Welch is back, but is returning from a leg injury that held her to a .139 hitting percentage. Her effectiveness is something Bennett must keep an eye on.

Some of the possible plans for this season were revealed Saturday.

Eliza Zwettler, a transfer from Troy University in Alabama, had four service aces and Caitlin Balsam, a sophomore who played in 67 games as a freshman, tied Griffin for the team lead with 16 kills Saturday.

Although she didn’t record any service aces, Balsam is using a jump serve that can more accurately be described as a power serve.

She was not consistent enough with it in practice last season to use it during a game.

But now that it is a part of her selection of serves, Balsam might boost herself up and be the next Gerth or Kennedy.

But she is not the only player to use the jump serve in the Alumni Game.

Bennett seems to have taught it actively.

Preseason all-conference setter Maren Crabtree used it.

The freshmen that played in the game used it.

And used it effectively.

The Panthers recorded 16 service aces Saturday.

Last season, they averaged just less than six aces per match.

If they are to return to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, this could be just the weapon they need to offset the loss of the seniors.