Your future, our focus
NWC Squad Goes 1-2 In Idaho Tournament To Begin Season
The Northwest Trappers volleyball team evened its record at 2-2 with a thre-eset victory at home versus the Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears Tuesday night.
The Trappers finished off the Bears in straight sets, 25-16, 25- 17, 25-21, three days after finishing 1-2 at the season-opening College of Southern Idaho Tournament in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Head coach Shaun Pohlman said the early-season wins and losses aren’t as important as how the team is playing and progressing.
“The idea of wins and losses don’t really matter when there’s no effort being put where it should,” Pohlman said. “When we were done playing (at the tournament) they had the ability to look at each other and say, ‘We feel good.’”
After four non-conference matches, Pohlman said serving and passing are two areas that must be addressed. The Trappers committed 38 service errors in 12 sets in Idaho and another 11 in three
Pohlman said the missed serves are more than a lost point, they’re wasted opportunities to improve.
“When we miss a serve we don’t get to learn anything,” Pohlman said. “We don’t get to learn about the game and playing defense and blocking and all that good stuff.”
The Trappers did atone for some of their errors with eight aces, including six by sophomore Ana Jakovljevic, who also led the team with 11 kills. Sophomore outside hitter Felicity Zegarelli added 10 kills of her own from the outside.
Pohlman said the passing needs to improve if the offense is to play to its potential.
“We really played at the level that we pass,” Pohlman said. “So if we improve our passing our level of play is going to increase.”
After taking quick control of the first and third sets, the Trappers took their foot off the pedal and let the Bears claw their way back into the game. Pohlman called timeouts both times to regroup his team, which returned to the court with a renewed sense of urgency.
“They respond fairly well,” Pohlman said of the Trappers coming out of timeouts. “I’m hoping at some point we get it in gear without someone having to tell them.”
Up two games to none, Pohlman rested sophomore setter Mikaela Heble and put in freshman setter Kimber Call.
“That’s the first time this season she’s had the opportunity to step on the court and run an entire set by herself,” Pohlman said. “I thought that she did a really good job.”
Northwest’s 1-2 tournament is a vast improvement on last year’s 0-4 showing. Pohlman said the College of Southern Idaho Tournament always features strong competition.
“The idea is to see where you’re at with some of the best teams,” Pohlman said.
The Trappers opened with a five-set loss to Snow College (Ephraim, Utah): 23-25, 23-25, 25-11, 25-19, 11-15.
Jakovljevic led the Trappers with 24 kills and four service aces. Zegarelli had nine kills, three aces and 12 digs.
Libero Kayla Van Hee anchored the backcourt with 20 digs.
Northwest’s lone tournament victory came in four sets versus Utah State-Eastern. The 20-25, 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 win was led by a more balanced offensive attack. Jakovljevic again led with 18 kills, but Zegarelli, freshman middle Jamila Biglow and sophomore middle Nico Titonea had six kills apiece. Freshman middle Krystalyn Sloan and freshman outside hitter Inoa Fields each recorded four kills.
Van Hee had 23 digs in the four-set match and Jakovljevic had 13.
The Trappers’ final tournament game was a three-set loss to the host Golden Eagles.
The NWC offense was led by 11 kills from Jakovljevic, 10 from Zegarelli and nine from freshman middle Vera Horstmann.
While most of the offensive production has come from the outside so far this season, the Northwest middles and right side players are starting to find their groove.
“It’s not where we want to be but at least our set distribution is more spread,” Pohlman said.
Pohlman said the middles should see their kill opportunities increase as the team’s passing becomes more consistent.
The team’s rotation is still uncertain as players compete for playing time. Pohlman doesn’t mind having options, and said he will embrace playing the team’s hot hand.
“I think that’s going to be a pretty big key,” Pohlman said. “It’s a good feeling to have to be able to say, ‘OK, this person is getting it done right now and we have other capable people ready to go.’”
The Trappers will play in the Golden Dome Invitational Tournament this Friday and Saturday in Sheridan, where they will again face Colorado Northwestern Community College, Great Falls College and two Rocky Mountain College teams.
Northwest’s next home game is its Region IX opener against Central Wyoming Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.