(PHOTOS BY JENNA BLAIR / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
SEASON OPENER … Jada Uribes and Caroline Dick team up for the block in Montpelier season opener with Evergreen.
NON-LEAGUE MATCH … Evergreen’s Mary Daughtery get ready to serve in last Saturday’s win at Montpelier.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
MONTPELIER (August 17, 2024) – The credentials of the previous chapter of Evergreen volleyball coach Kelsey Wulf’s story hang on the gym walls in the fashion of numerous NWOAL titles, sectional championships and a district title placard.
After a hiatus for a few years, Wulf returned for the next segment in her coaching career, leading the Vikings to a 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-11 over BBC power Montpelier.
“It feels great to be back,” Wulf exclaimed after the win. “I feel this is where I’m meant to be. It gives me chills to be here doing what I love and sharing my passion of volleyball with the girls”
“Overall, I thought we were the aggressors most of the time. There were a couple times we pulled back just a little bit, and I sometimes have to remind them that they have to stay aggressive and there is no reason not to be aggressive.”
The emotionally charged Vikings jumped on top early, using a left side shot by Bailey Lumbrezer, one from the right from Taylor Johnson and Lanae Manz’ left side to take an 8-1 lead.
That same trio registered four more kills to expand that margin to 18-9 but with the Vikings holding that same nine-point bulge at 20-11, the Locos fought back.
Kelsie Bumb’s push and Bria Friend’s score from the middle helped close the gap to 21-15. Beth Sintobin’s slam from the middle made it 22-15 but Jada Uribes stuffed an overpass, Friend’s push found an open area, Bumb’s athletic back tip of a set and Zoe Uribes tip got the Locos within 24-21 but a Loco attack went short to end the first set.
Addy Ricker’s first ball rip broke a 2-2 tie early in the second set and the Vikings were never headed after. Manz scored once, twice then a third time with a laser down the left sideline around Bria Matney’s ace to forge an 11-7 lead.
Addison Hill went back-to-back with serving aces, then Lumbrezer, Ricker, and Lumbrezer again nailed shots to push Evergreen up 16-7.
Again, Montpelier came back. Alyvia Repp scored from the left; Bella Ramos scored an ace then Jada Uribes leveled a boomer from the middle to go with three straight Viking attacks that went out to bring the Locos back to 18-16.
Again, it was Manz with a big time shot at a critical time with a stick in the corner to boost Evergreen up 20-16.
“I’ve been here all summer and I’ve seen a bright spot in her,” Wulf expressed of her sophomore outside hitter.
“She has a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy. She’s grown three inches since the first of the year and she has really used that with her ability to get on top of the ball and putting it down with a lot of authority.”
Montpelier got back to 20-18 but Manz’ block, Lissa Roesti’s push, a Loco hit into the net, Manz’ score after a long rally and Matney’s second ace of the set gave Evergreen a 2-0 lead in sets.
Montpelier broke out early in the third behind a score from each Uribes and a Ramos ace to a 5-0 lead. Mary Daugherty’s floating ace got the Vikings within 5-4 and Roesti’s block put Evergreen up 8-7.
With the Vikings on top 12-11, the Locos rattled off eight straight with Repp doing most of the damage with three kills to go with an Aleigha Hillard ace to take a 19-12 advantage.
Zoe Uribes shot maintained a seven-point lead at 21-14 but this time it was Evergreen who roared from behind.
One more time it was Manz with a four-shot barrage, Johnson with a left side kill, Maddie Brehmer’s score from the right and Matney’s third ace of the day to bring the Vikings all the way back to a 23-23 tie.
The Locos then regained the lead on Lyla Mahan’s ace and closed when a Vikings attack hit the net to grab the set.
There were no comebacks, no heroic game winners in the fourth set. Manz had a six-pack of kills along with a serving ace. Sintobin and Ricker slammed overpasses at the net.
Kennedy Emmitt drilled a pair of aces and Brehmer’s shot from the right side finished up a dominating 25-11 match ending win.
“A lot of serve receive we have been working on but honestly we haven’t worked a ton on serving,” Wulf said.
“We had a really good serving game tonight. We were able to pick on their serve receive a little bit and we focus on keeping teams out of system.”
Evergreen d. Montpelier 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-11
EVERGREEN (1-0) – no statistics
MONTPELIER (0-1): Kelsie Bumb – 23 assists; Jada Uribes – 8 kills; Aleigh Hillard – 12 digs; Lyla Mahan – 10 digs, 2 aces
JUNIOR VARSITY: Montpelier, 21-25, 25-21, 26-24
FRESHMAN: Evergreen, 25-17, 11-25, 25-23