Spikers nab valuable experience

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Spikers nab valuable experience

September 5, 2021 by David Svien

Freshman Katie Marti had an impressive debut. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

They’re a work in progress.

The Coupeville High School volleyball squads opened play Saturday with an appearance at the Oak Harbor Jamboree, and the result was a mixed bag.

The Wolf varsity, missing several players who are going through Covid quarantine procedures, dropped all six sets it played, but picked up valuable experience for younger players who made the jump up to the main team.

Meanwhile, the Coupeville JV was on fire, winning five of six sets.

Varsity:

While the 2B Wolves fell 3-0 to both 3A Oak Harbor and 1A South Whidbey, younger players picked up a chance to jump straight into the fire.

“We played with a very-thin group, but the amount of playing time and experience should really benefit us down the road,” said coach Cory Whitmore.

“I’m proud of each of the girls tonight for various reasons, whether it be for stepping up their leadership roles, adapting to playing next to newer teammates, playing a completely new position and/or playing a full six rotations where they had not previously done so.”

As a team, the Wolves were strong at the service line, something Whitmore has been having his team work on.

“I thought that our serving remained very consistent throughout the day,” he said. “That was a concern of ours during the first week of practices; however, we focused on it leading into the jamboree and it paid off.”

Whitmore praised the performance of freshman Katie Marti, who had to immediately step into a crucial role for the team.

“I do want to give a particular shoutout to Katie,” he said. “Having only recently stepped into a setting position, she learned the complicated rotations for a 5-1, and played all six sets, all six rotations for her very first outing in high school ball.

“This would be a lot to ask of any freshman and I thought she did a wonderful job.”

With Coupeville’s first regular season matches just days away, Whitmore and his spikers will get right back at it in practice.

“As a team, we have plenty to work on when getting back from the long weekend,” he said. “But this group has already shown a natural ability to learn at an accelerated rate, and so I’m looking forward to pushing them forward.

JV:

“It was such a great day for the JV girls!,” said coach Ashley Menges.

“They definitely make my job easy. They made a lot of adjustments throughout the day only having seven girls,” she added. “It was a lot of playing time and very good experience for them to start the season!

“Very excited for what’s to come for these girls!”