By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High Wolves’ volleyball team scored a 3-0 victory over local rival Mt. Edgecumbe Tuesday night. Set scores were 25-18, 25-14, and 25-22. The two teams go head-to-head again on Oct. 31, and Nov. 5-7 to compete for the regional title.
Mt. Edgecumbe coach Mike Mahoney noted his team “did not adjust well at all to the attack that Sitka was bringing.” The Braves’ defense struggled to adapt to Sitka’s hard-hitting offense, Mahoney said.
He said his players “passed very well on serve receive,” but needed to reduce the number of free balls they gave to Sitka. A free ball is often returned very hard by the other team.
Coach Mahoney was emphatic “that is something we need to fix.”
He noted that Vernae Raymoth “played very well out of the middle.” Shayna Warnke-Green scored eight kills with a single error, and libero Angelina Ong made 24 digs.
Mahoney said that Ong “played very hard, she has amazing range.” Former MEHS C-team player Ella Dale stepped up to varsity for the Sitka match as well. Mahoney said that she “practiced with varsity one time… (but) she did fantastic.”
Sitka Wolves’ Ava Brady hits over Mt. Edgecumbe High Scool blockers Tuesday night at MEHS. The Wolves beat Edgecumbe 3-0, aided by nearly impenetrable defense and solid hitting. (Sentinel photo)
On the Sitka side, Wolves’ coach Zaide Allen said that her team had “almost impeccable defense, we were super consistent.” Ever since the opening matches of the season in August, Sitka’s team has sought out consistency. With a rock solid defense and precise passing on Tuesday night, the Wolves seem to have found themselves.
With a defense spearheaded by Tiffany Elefante, Chloe Morrison, Morgan Feldpausch and freshman Ava Brady, Sitka kept Edgecumbe’s score down. Morrison also made a number of impressive hits.
Coach Allen noted that Zaeda Dumag, the team setter, was a standout. Allen said that in “some of those sets, that’s why Chloe’ shots were so good- because Zaeda just put it in the most perfect spot.”
Allen concluded that “everyone played really, really well… we got into a rhythm and just kept rolling.”
Sitka plays against Fairbanks’ Hutchinson Thursday night at 6 p.m., then travels to Ketchikan for matches over the weekend. The Wolves face the Braves on Thursday, October 31 at MEHS, and again for the regional title November 5-7. Because Sitka and Edgecumbe are the only 3A volleyball schools in the region, the regional match will be another duel.
SHS coach Allen was happy her entire team’s performance, saying “at the end we just took it and ran.”
