Warrior volleyball team makes strides in tournament losses
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
The Central volleyball team was back on the court last week, and though the Warriors didn’t have the hectic travel schedule of the previous week, they played five games at the Jesup Tournament on Saturday. While the results might not show it, coach Kelly Erickson believes the day was “filled with thrilling matches that showcased the team’s determination and resilience.”
Erickson saw improvements in the team’s performance, namely in serving and serve receive, averaging just 2.8 missed serves per game this week—greatly improved over last week’s slate of games.
However, the tournament highlighted some continued areas in need of improvement, most notably team communication, which Erickson deemed “essential for well-rounded and effective team play.”
The Warriors finished the tournament 1-4, losing matches to Alburnett 21-8 and 21-11, North Linn 21-13 and 22-20, Jesup 21-18 and 21-11 and South Winneshiek 21-9 and 21-11. Central came away with a victory over West Central, 21-16 and 21-14.
Numerous players made contributions, including Mackayla Vlazny, who Erickson said “had an outstanding day on the court” with her serving and passing skills, as well as leadership on defense. That contributed to the team’s performance, especially in organization and motivation.
Overall, Vlazny went 32-34 serving with six aces and also had 32 digs throughout the day.
An offensive leader was Tori Sylvester, who finished with 13 kills throughout the tournament. She also showcased her versatility by contributing on the defensive front as well, coming away with 46 digs, 16 of which were against Jesup.
More versatility was provided by Oakley Armstrong, who helped on offense and defense, leading the team with four kills in the game against Alburnett. In the back row, she came away with 23 digs total. Against West Central, she went 13 for 13 serving, with two aces.
In the North Linn game, it was Lizzie Royer who stepped up, leading Central with five kills on offense. She had 32 digs overall, 12 of which came against West Central.
“She is also a leader on the team as one of our setters. She does a great job of getting the ball to our hitters, having 17 assists throughout the tournament,” Erickson said.
The team’s other setter, Katie Royer, put in work as well, finishing the tournament with 21 assists and 18 digs.
There was also some notable help off the bench. Reese Berns had four digs in the Alburnett game along with a couple of kills, and Brylee Erickson had 14 digs, six of coming in the North Linn game and five against West Central. Tessa Sylvester came in to hit outside and had two kills in the North Linn game.
“Even though we didn’t win as many games as we would have liked, we played some great matches and lost some close games,” Erickson said. “While our recent performances may not have yielded as many victories as we had hoped, it’s crucial to acknowledge the experience gained from these games. These games have provided us with opportunities to fine-tune our strategies and identify areas for improvement. As we look ahead to the conference games starting this week, we feel better prepared and determined for success.”
The Warriors will begin conference play at MFL MarMac (1-4) on Tuesday, Sept. 12, followed by a another road game against Clayton Ridge on Thursday, Sept. 14.
