Your future, our focus
Jakovljevic Dazzles With Triple-Double Against Rocky
The Northwest Trappers volleyball team went 2-1 in a three-games-in-five days stretch dating back to last Friday.
The Trappers (2-2, 10-8) split their weekend games against Region IX opponents and defeated the Rocky Mountain JV squad Tuesday night in Billings.
Northwest alternated two wins with a loss, beginning with a three-set victory at Sheridan (1-3, 14-10) Friday night, 25-23, 25-17, 25-22.
Ana Jakovljevic tallied 15 kills and four errors in 21 attempts to lead the Trapper charge. She also added four service aces to one service error and four digs.
Freshman Vera Horstmann continued her offensive hot streak with 11 kills and three errors in 20 attempts.
Head coach Shaun Pohlman said the right-side hitter has been preparing better during film sessions and practices, while focusing on the task at hand during matches.
Sophomore setter Mikaela Heble directed the Northwest offense with 36 assists, which gave her an elite 12 assists-per-set average. She added three digs for good measure.
Pohlman said Heble’s night was indicative of the team’s all-around play, starting with the first touch.
“Our passing, everyone was calling it and was on the same page,” Pohlman said.
Libero Elisa Brooks accumulated 16 digs to lead the team.
Outside hitter Felicity Zegarelli added seven kills and two hitting errors on 18 attempts, with six digs, an ace and two service errors.
The team collected eight blocks, seven aces and four reception errors.
Northwest’s fortunes reversed the following day in Casper (4-0, 13-11).
The Trappers were swept by the Thunderbirds 22-25, 18-25, 24-26 in a close match that Pohlman would like to have back.
“We were up in all of those sets,” said Pohlman, who noted Casper’s effort in mounting three consecutive comebacks while being blunt about his own team’s play.
“They knew they had to work to beat us and there was never really a response on our end,” he said. “The effort against Casper was just very, very poor.”
Casper made the Trappers earn their points.
Jakovljevic again led the team in kills with 11, but needed 29 attempts and committed four errors. The sophomore also had four digs, three aces and three service errors.
“By now everyone knows I have an All-American outside who is capable of doing a lot,” Pohlman said. “We’re going to try to do some creative, innovative things.”
Horstmann was second with six kills and three errors on 16 attempts. Horstmann’s solo block and four block assists accounted for almost half of the team’s six and a half blocks.
Zegarelli struggled from the outside again, committing as many errors (four) as she had kills in 11 attempts. She also added four digs.
Northwest carried an impressive 11-tofive aces-to-reception errors ratio, but Pohlman said that stat is a bit deceptive.
“We were winning the serving battle in points, but not necessarily overall quality,” he said. “We were just off the mark on our passing.”
Tuesday night’s sweep against the Battlin’ Bears in Billings featured a highlight- reel night from Jakovljevic.
The reigning Region IX player of the year put on a clinic as she scored 14 kills, 11 digs and 10 aces for a triple-double.
“She was having fun,” Pohlman said. “And that makes it easier when you’re having fun.”
Overall, Pohlman said his team played more loosely, which he’d like to see them do every match.
“They played with confidence. They played without fear and hesitation,” Pohlman said.
Zegarelli had a bounce-back game with 10 kills and the balanced Trappers offense benefited from eight kills by Krystalyn Sloan and six from Megan Huddleston.
Brooks had another solid game from the back row with 17 digs.
Heble led Northwest with 21 assists in just two sets of play while freshman Kimber Call added 17 assists in her time as setter and defensive specialist.
Defensive specialist Kayla Van Hee suffered what Pohlman called a “mild concussion” Saturday against Casper when she collided with a teammate. Van Hee did not play against Rocky Mountain. Her status for this weekend is uncertain.
The energy that Pohlman said his team lacked on the road might be restored by five straight home games Northwest will play between Oct. 4 and Oct. 15.
“I feel like the girls are ready to be home and be comfortable, be in their own beds, get some crowds behind them,” Pohlman said.
The Trappers will face off against Laramie County (2-2, 9-11) Friday night at 7 p.m. and Eastern Wyoming (1-5, 6-16) Saturday at 3 p.m.