by Cienna Richardson
Orcas High School junior
The Lady Vikings played Coupeville on Oct. 29 at home.
“It was a tough game, but it was also very fun and experiential for myself and a few other players. With our setter out, we all had to adjust and work with what we had. It helped us all come together and work hard to help each other out,” said junior Vera Sasan.
It was a very close game, and the Vikings stayed neck and neck with the Wolves, but unfortunately, the Wolves were able to pull ahead and win the game.
“For the Coupeville game, we did pretty good in the first set, but when Lili had to be subbed out, things kinda went downhill,” said junior Chloe Anderson-Cleveland. “Instead of focusing on trying super hard to win, we took it as an opportunity to try out new things and positions. I think this was more helpful because it gave us intel on what might work in future games against them and time to work out plays. Overall, we lost the game, but we still had fun playing a hard opponent, and I’m glad we could prepare for our next game against them.”
During the game, senior and co-team captain Lili Malo got injured.
“We won’t have our senior setter for our final home game. We will definitely miss her, but we are experimenting with new lineups for [the senior] match and looking forward to districts at the end of the week,” said head coach Mallory Balcomb.
The Lady Vikings are to play their senior game on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. against Friday Harbor. Balcomb speaks about how lucky she feels to have been able to share her love of volleyball with her team. This year’s seniors are Morgan Anderson, Ava Ashcraft, Jaz Lideros-Beach, Lili Malo, Alexandria Sanders and Molina Stone.
“The level of improvement that Morgan and Alexandria have shown this year is outstanding; they have both worked hard on their offense, and it shows,” said Balcomb. “Alexandria has become one of our go-to hitters, making the ball find the opponent’s floor in many different ways.”
Sanders is a middle blocker, plays on varsity and has a 30.6 kill percentage, a 0.204 hit percentage and has made 33 kills in the past two seasons.
Anderson plays opposite on varsity, plays on varsity and has 0.9 digs per set and 0.1 block solos.
Balcomb said, “Morgan is always willing to learn; she has a killer serve and holds her own in the front row.”
Stone plays defensive specialist and plays on varsity. She has 0.8 digs per set and 13 serve receptions.
“Molina’s defense is integral to our team; we rely on her to dig balls and get tips all over the court. Her attitude is always positive and she gives her ‘all’ to every play,” says Balcomb.
Lideros-Beach plays on the junior varsity team.
“Jaz has become a leader on the JV team this year. She has stepped up to the plate to be an important part of the team and continues to seek to improve her volleyball knowledge every day,” Balcomb said.
Ashcraft is an outside hitter with 28 kills, a 46.9 kill percentage, and a .279 hitting percentage. Malo has 26 kills, 69 attack attempts and a .246 hitting percentage.
“Ava and Lili, our two senior captains, are the heart of the program,” Balcomb said. “They both work extremely hard and their leadership is clear. Ava’s knowledge of the game and the power behind her swing set her apart, she is also our top passer, just an all around athlete and skilled volleyball player and plays her heart out. Lili has taken on the difficult role of setter with ease and confidence and is an anchor for the team. Not only are her sets on point and her serves are killer, Lili is a friend to everyone and always provides encouragement when we need it most.”
Balcomb said it’s been “a joy” to watch the players grow “not just as players, but leaders, friends and role models.”
“They have led by example, and helped to build a Viking volleyball culture of passion and resilience. I want to thank our seniors for their dedication, grit, and the countless hours of hard work they’ve put in. We’re proud of all they have accomplished and can’t wait to see the amazing things they will achieve next,” she said.
