After a significant win over Philomath early in the season, the Sweet Home volleyball team has struggled to find that groove again.
The difficulties continued last week in league-opening 3-0 losses to Sisters and Junction City for the Huskies, who were 2-7 going into Tuesday’s home match against Cottage Grove.
But things got better Saturday at the Sisters Tournament where, after the Huskies did not win a game in pool play against Banks, Estacada and Vail – one of the tougher pools, Coach Alicia Meier said, they beat Yamhill-Carlton 25-16, 25-23 and then took one of the state’s best teams, Henley to the wire before losing 17-25, 25-23, 12-15.
“We’ve been having problems finding a line-up that works,” Meier said. “I had two freshmen set against Yamhill-Carlton and Henley. We almost beat Henley in three games.”
Inconsistency has been a big problem, she said.
Against Henley, ranked eighth in the state, the Huskies came close.
“We almost beat them,” Meier said. “It was good to see them have a good final game.”
Jordan Miller played “great” in all facets of the game, she said. And freshmen Ally Tow and Kayley Lopez provided solidarity from the setter’s position, while McKenzie Cochran “did a good job” in the back row as libero.
Junction City 3, Sweet Home 0
The Tigers, 7-3 overall, 1-1 in league as of Monday, barraged Sweet Home with attacks from the back row, Meier said of their Thursday, Sept. 18 match. That resulted in a 25-18, 25-21, 25-18 win for the hosts.
“They really played well. We haven’t practiced those back row attacks that much and it’s kind of my fault as coach. Not many teams do that.”
The Huskies were led by Tow’s six kills, but that was about it for highlights, Meier said.
Sisters 3, Sweet Home 0
Sisters, a favorite for this year’s state title, proved it with a dominating performance as the hosts rolled to a 25-17, 25-11, 25-11 win Tuesday, Sept. 16.
“Sisters is awesome,” Meier said. “They don’t have many weaknesses, even with one of their better players out. They beat Banks in their own tournament. They are completely in synch. They have skill level and teamwork and like all great teams, they never give up.”
Sweet Home hosts Cottage Grove (1-1, 2-5 as of Monday) on Tuesday and Elmira (0-2, 1-9 as of Monday) Thursday, Sept. 25.