Jeremy Ratliff
Editor
Bluejay varsity volleyball opened their 2020 season at D.C Everest High School in Schofield on Friday, Sept. 25. In the wake of a hard fought, five-set duel with the Evergreens, the Bluejay ladies would come up short 2-3.
The Jays capped off a solid effort in the first set, topping Everest 25-17. Unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize as the ‘greens ran away with back-to-back sets (18-25, 16-25). The Jays showed signs of revival with a 25-19 victory in the fourth set, however Everest would have the final word in the final; 11-15.
“Nicole (Zoellner) had an incredible game,” comments head coach Kris Krug.
“Not only did she dominate the front row, but she also played really well as an off-blocker. She was our go-to for the night. Faith (Seliger) also started off really hot and did well mixing it up. The two of them were offensively aggressive. Kelly (Page) was also playing really smart at the net and making some big plays.
“Our defense was shaky,” Krug adds.
“We never seemed to be in the right place at the right time and had a difficult time anticipating the ball. We also missed more serves than I wanted. Overall though we played pretty well. The way the season has been, it is such a relief to get that first game in. The girls have been working so hard in the gym for the last 12 weeks dedicating themselves to volleyball.
Going into tonight I had so many emotions. We finally got to game day without being shut down. I wanted so bad for them to be able to play. They have been so positive. They haven’t complained about anything and I’m so proud of how these girls are handling such a difficult situation. In the end, they’ve found that coming together and working hard to play is what’s most important.”
Offensively, Seliger paced the Bluejay offense with 17 kills, followed by Page (13) and Zoellner (11).
Travis enjoyed a stellar performance defensively, tallying 27 digs, followed by Page (14) and Dani Korman (13).