EVERGREEN VIKING … Bailey Lumbrezer looks to get the shot over the top of the top of two Montpelier blockers.
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
NONLEAGUE VOLLEYBALL … Alyvia Repp of Montpelier makes a pass during action at Evergreen High School.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (August 19, 2025) – Like a military bombing raid, Evergreen came from all sides and angles, and veteran coach Kelsey Wulf coordinated the flight plan that led to a 25-13, 25-14, 25-17 romp over Montpelier in the Vikes’ season opener.
“Honestly, I was really pleased,” Wulf explained after the match. “We have six people who haven’t had a lot of varsity experience, and they all played a really, really important role tonight.
“Beth Sintobin, who does have experience, did a really good job at the net. We told her she needed to step up and be confident, and we needed some kill production out of her.
“Lissa (Roesti) works so darn hard all the time, and she had a good night, and again, we had scoring from all around. I’m really proud of how they handled themselves tonight.”
The Vikes opened up the whole arsenal in the very first set, breaking away from a 4-3 lead to open a five-point gap.
Avery Emmitt’s right side kill, an Avah Vaculik ace, and Lyla Radel’s shot from the middle gave Evergreen an 8-3 advantage.
Olivia Thompson’s kill from the back row stopped that salvo, but the Vikings reloaded and knocked out the next six scores.
High-flying Lanae Manz started the burst with the first of three left side bombs during the run, and Emmitt nailed a pair of serving aces for a 14-4 lead.
Caroline Dick and Zoe Uribes each scored for the Locos to get them back to a single-digit deficit, but Sintobin’s blast from the middle, another Vaculik ace, and Manz’ rip down the left sideline ended the set.
“We had some of those first game jitters in the first set,” Wulf said. “It was only three or four points, but it was definitely some inexperience, and it took us a couple of points to work things out, and we got into a really good rhythm after that.”
It was more of the same in the second, but this time it was Radel with a change-up shot from the middle and a slap back of an overpass to go with a pair of Manz kills that included a two-hand dunk of an overpass for a 7-3 Evergreen lead.
Five Viking hitting errors kept Montpelier close at 13-8, but again, after a weapons check, the Vikings fired again.
On this run, Bailey Lumbrezer stuck a left side kill, and Roesti aced the Loco defense three times to put the Vikings ahead by double figures at 18-8.
Thompson’s ace got Montpelier back to 21-12, but Emmitt’s ace and Radel’s swat with the left hand helped finish out the set for Evergreen.
Roesti’s fourth ace of the night got the Vikings going again in the third, but Uribes wouldn’t let Evergreen break away.
The Loco senior scored from the right, and twice more on two-handed pushes to keep Montpelier within 14-12.
And then…boom…Evergreen dropped the big one, a 9-0 run that in essence ended the match.
Sintobin started the explosion from the middle, Eloise Daugherty nailed an ace, Manz hit from the back row, Roesti scored twice off the set, and Manz went back-to-back from the back row for a 23-12 lead.
“Lanae does it all, and she has been doing it for the last two seasons,” Wulf said, speaking of her rangy junior outside hitter.
“We have a lot of expectations of her, and she has a lot of expectations of herself. Between her and Lissa, their job is to take command of the court and play it like they own it.”
Dick’s ace and Uribes’ shot from the left only again put the Locos within a single-digit margin before Emmitt’s right side hit ended the match.
Evergreen d. Montpelier, 25-13, 25-14, 25-17
MATCH STATISTICS
Montpelier (0-2): Bella Ramos – 8 assists, 8 digs; Maggie Jacob 13 digs; Zoe Uribes – 6 kills
Evergreen (1-0): no statistics
JUNIOR VARSITY: Evergreen, 25-10, 25-16
FRESHMAN: Evergreen, 25-20, 15-25, 25-8