Your future, our focus
Success is more than a goal for the Northwest College volleyball team, it’s an expectation.
“Winning the region tournament and going to nationals is still the goal,” interim coach Bethany Conde said.
Last year after failing to win their Region IX Tournament and reach the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time since 2012, Conde likes the Lady Trappers chances of bouncing back this year, despite their lack of experience and returning only two players who earned significant playing time last season.
Conde expects those two – Jess Ruffing and Demery Dean – to anchor the setters, while on libero, freshman Madyson Chavez and Geena Graf will power the Lady Trapper defense.
Conde is also excited about incoming freshman Eirini Matsouka, an outside hitter with experience playing for top Greek club team GS Ilioupolis.
“I think she’ll be a big player for us,” Conde said.
The Trappers are 1-3 through first four games of the season after winning their opener against Colorado Northwestern on Friday, Aug. 24, at the Casper Invitational.
“We played very well against Northwestern, got the nerves out,” Conde said.
In their home opener Tuesday, Aug. 28, the Lady Trappers fell to the Rocky Mountain College JV in three sets.
“That was disappointing. Just lots of crucial little mistakes,” Conde said.
Conde takes the helm after Shaun Pohlman left for Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. Pohlman coached NWC for seven seasons, winning District I/C coach of the year honors four times and AVCA West Region coach of the year twice.
Conde was an assistant under Pohlman last season. Before coming to Powell, she coached high school volleyball in Scottsbluff, Neb., and played at Western Nebraska Community College.