13 Alpha – Power League Qualifier:
The Athena 13 Alpha team has an exciting future ahead of them! This week the girls went through a coaching change, new rotations, and the new team system of a “6-2.” The girls had one practice, followed by a scrimmage, and then headed off into the all-important Power League Qualifier under newly appointed head coach Ben Stern. The 13 Alpha team struggled with the new rotations during their scrimmage, but they all proved their mental toughness and “volleyball IQ” when they returned the next day to the Power League with every rotation completely memorized. The 13 Alphas found themselves in a gym full of 14s teams, where the girls would have to overcome the other teams’ strength and size by executing scrappy defense, aggressive serving, and low-error serve-receive.
Although 13 Alpha lost their pool, the girls accomplished their goal of improving as a team in every set. They started out the day making errors on every “out-of-system” play, and improved to being able to get sets, swings and kills on those same situations. The girls were serving tentatively in the morning, and then focused on small changes that would help them serve lower, harder float serves. The team began the tournament hardly speaking to each other on the court, and finished the day with proper movements, vocals and teamwork. The 13 Alpha team has some of the best fundamental mechanics you’ll see at that age, and they will only improve as they learn how to input these skills into game situations.
After dropping in pool play, 13 Alpha won both crossover matches in three sets; proving that they have the tenacity to continue fighting. Serving runs from Paige Meyer, Hannah Miller and Carley Landry helped secure many points for the squad. Scrappy and aggressive defense from the entire team helped to keep long rallys alive, including plays from liberos Mackenzie Bates and Nastassja Teach (who learned the two-libero system!) and DS Zoya Raja. Claire Askew closed out both third sets with some impressive one handed stuff-blocks, sometimes out-jousting two players at once! Consistent play from all of the outsides and opposites helped to keep the ball alive, and when this team plays long rallys they often win the point. This young group has proved that they have so much ability to progress, and they take pride in knowing that they will only grow stronger from here.
