Coupeville Sports

   Katrina McGranahan had six kills and four service aces Tuesday as CHS romped to a win in its league opener. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Brutally efficient.

Attacking from the moment it hopped off the ferry to the moment it clambered back on Tuesday, the Coupeville High School volleyball squad looked very much like the unit that swept to a league crown last season.

Decimating host Chimacum in straight sets, the Wolves ran their season record to 2-0, while grabbing a huge win in their Olympic League opener.

Key to the 25-9, 25-11, 25-4 romp were keywords like aggressiveness and consistency, something every coach wants to see.

“Very happy with our consistent play today,” CHS spiker guru Cory Whitmore said. “Playing our speed and back to aggressive serving and attacking.”

Once the ball was in play, every Wolf on the floor chipped in with solid, often inspired play.

“The setters did a great job of distributing the ball,” Whitmore said. “But our passers provided great first ball contacts to work with.”

Sophomore Maya Toomey-Stout led Coupeville at the service stripe, pounding home five aces, while three of her veteran teammates — Payton Aparicio, Lauren Rose and Katrina McGranahan — chipped in with four apiece.

Rose collected 11 assists, sharing set-up duties with Ashley Menges (six assists), while McGranahan (six kills) and Aparicio (four kills) were the primary beneficiaries.

Coupeville, which doesn’t play its first home match until Sept. 26, is off to Yakima for the SunDome Volleyball Festival Friday, an all-day event which pits 32 schools drawn from 1B, 2B, 1A and 2A.

The tourney, which is played on the same courts where the 1A state tourney is held, will give the Wolves a feel of what it would be like to play in the big show.

CHS advanced to state four straight years from 2001-2004, winning at least one match every time, but hasn’t been back since, a streak this year’s senior-led squad wants to break.

Young guns sweep:

Coupeville swept to straight-sets wins in both JV and C-Team action, as well.

“The JV just cruised. They carried on where they left off from this weekend (at the South Whidbey Invite) and just dominated both sets,” said Wolf JV coach Chris Smith. “After facing varsity competition all weekend the JV was geared up and ready to play at a different level.

“They were playing well as a team and set the tone from the service line.”

The C-Team, comprised of freshmen, saw action against a rival for the first time this season.

“The nerves were high with the ‘C’ team, but once they settled down they cruised,” Smith said.