Volleyball squad gets win
From our weekly issue dated September 08, 2010
The Lady Cougars dominated both sides of the net in their season opener at the Ken Mann Memorial Gymnasium in Cave Junction. (Photo by Kevan Moore, Illinois Valley News)
The Lady Cougars volleyball squad kicked off its season with a 3-1 win at home last week against the Happy Camp High School Indians in front of a large crowd inside a sweltering gymnasium.
After decisive victories in the first two games, unforced errors led to a loss in game three.
“Our third game we served over 10 serves out of bounds or into the net,” said IVHS Head Coach Cathy Pope. “That’s one of the main reasons we lost.”
Pope said that staying focused, and avoiding simple mistakes, like bad serves, will be a theme all season.
“When we’re out on the floor, I try to convey to them to be at their peak at every single moment,” Pope said. “I don’t want them to get accustomed to acing and then taking it for granted, for example. At any point in time the game can change so we always need to be playing hard.”
Pope said that she will be relying heavily on senior leadership this year from her captains, labero Alex Miller and utility player Kayla Johnson. Pope also has high hopes for her new setter.
“I have a lot of new setters so basically my quarterback on the team, Thea Barker-Cortchet, is brand new,” Pope said. “So, we’re waiting for her to blossom and lead everybody on the floor.”
The girls came out of the Skyline Conference at the end of last season and will be playing in the 3A-2A Southern Cascade Hybrid this year, which makes Pope all the more optimistic.
“Our goal is basically to play the best we can whenever we can,” Pope said. “I think that’s how we’re going to win games. I’ve instilled into them that if we can pass we can win. Our goal is to be competitive.”
The Lady Cougars didn’t attend the Eureka Tournament over the weekend due to a scheduling snafu, but were set to travel to New Hope Christian in Medford on Tuesday. Their next match is slated for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, at home against North Valley.
The IVHS junior varsity team, which sometimes calls up girls from the freshman squad, also had a good first outing last week, winning two of three against Happy Camp.
“Their skills and knowledge of the game are, by far, higher than I’ve ever had,” she said. “The JV and freshman squads are very good. They’ll be pretty solid this year as a team.”
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