Every year, teams in each sport have to adjust to change. Due to new players, rules and game play, however, the Yutan volleyball team has had to adjust to more than just minor changes this year.
“It’s a lot different than it was last year because last year we had a lot of all-conference players, and this year we lost Gabi (Tederman), Kenna (Jones) and Millie (Dieckman), and they were three of our main starters who got a lot of points for our team. This year, we’re trying to adjust, but we’re also fairly young and have a lot of underclassmen who get a lot of playing time,” sophomore Morgan Long said.
Since one of these graduates was the team’s main setter, the team is now using two setters, which changes the rotation and flow of the game.
“One big change is last year we were in a five-one (rotation). Now we’re running a six-two, so it’s different because last year, as a hitter, you were always getting the ball from the same person, but having two different setters, it’s a little different. They set the ball a little differently, so adjusting to that is probably the biggest change,” senior Mylee Tichota said.
Another thing that changes the flow of the game is the new rule that allows double contact as long as the ball is played to a teammate. This rule was enforced to remove a judgment call for officials. The players agree that the new rule is mostly changing the game for the better.
“The new rules are affecting us in pretty good ways because if we do end up making an error, we can continue playing. It’s not that big of a deal, but then it feels so frustrating when other teams mess up and make those same errors. But it’s good that it keeps the game going,”
freshman Ava Frye said.
With a lot of factors to adjust to this year, there are challenges that the team is working to overcome.
“I think we’re struggling with unforced errors more this year than we have in the past. So the challenge and mental hurdle is eliminating those unforced errors, something that we keep working on,” head coach Jodi Bierman said.
To overcome these challenges, the team is focused on playing together and being able to adjust to different lineups.
“We’re definitely focusing on energy and playing as a team because the roster is always changing but just trying to play cohesive, even though those things are changing. We obviously want to make it back to the state tournament, and to do that, we need to fine-tune and figure out where people go in the lineup and stuff like that,” Tichota said.
Although there are still things the volleyball team needs to work on, they have already seen success this year.
“We had a triangular which went well, and we won both games. We beat Elmwood Murdock, and they are a good team, and then we played Syracuse, and we beat them in three, which is super exciting because the past couple of years we’ve lost to them, except last year we won,” Long said.
Even the coaches feel good about the season so far and are excited for what’s to come.
“As far as the start of the season, I think there are a few games we would have liked to play better. But I also think the girls have done a good job of adjusting to different lineups and pushing themselves to stay mentally strong,” Bierman said. “So overall, aside from those few games, I think we’ve done a good job early in the season.”
With the season going well so far, the team is using this to motivate them as they enter the back half of their season.
“I think this season is going to be a lot harder than it has in the past, so just staying positive and staying together as a team is important,” senior Mackenzie Govier said. “I just hope that we make it to state and get farther than we have.”
