Natalia Ashton jumps to block an attack from the Petersburg junior varsity team during one of two matches in Wrangell on Friday, Oct. 27. The junior varsity matches gave Wrangell's underclassmen volleyball players a chance to hone their skills on the court.
The Lady Wolves are refining their technique and getting their new players up to speed as they ramp up training before volleyball regionals in mid-November.
The team won two home matches against Petersburg's junior varsity team on Friday, Oct. 27. Each match was best of five, and the Wrangell girls won both in three straight sets.
"Everybody played really well," said co-coach Brian Herman, who is leading the team alongside Shelley Powers. "No real hiccups at all."
After three back-to-back losses in the second half of the Klawock meet Oct. 19-21, Herman has been focusing on improving the Lady Wolves' serving technique. In the Petersburg games, their work paid off, he said.
The players "served very well against (Petersburg.) I actually had to have them tone it down a little bit. That was really good to see them actually relax a little bit and not get so nervous behind the service line."
However, with many players sick, injured or absent, the team struggled to fill all its positions. Addie Andrews stepped in as a setter for the first time and gave a standout performance. "It's a hard position to jump right into," said Herman.
It's "good to know that we have one additional person who, if we need to, can fill that role," he added.
Injuries and illness will continue to be the team's biggest challenges as it heads into the late season. The Lady Wolves' two most experienced athletes - Aubrey Wynne and Christina Johnson - are both injured and sat out the matches against Petersburg. Many of the other players are either sick or participating in other sports.
"Right now, we're trying to get all of our kids healthy," said Herman. "Only having six available players ... that's pretty scary. We're hoping to get everybody back in the gym."
The team will travel to Haines for a tournament Friday through Sunday, Nov. 3-5. Then, after two more weekend matches against Petersburg - one at home and one away - they'll play at the regional championship in Petersburg Nov. 16-18.
The team is starting its final push to win regionals, said Herman. "It's kind of do or die at this point."
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