Lady Wolverines put in five days of play

Weiser’s varsity volleyball team recorded a 3-1 conference win over Homedale’s Lady Trojans on Tuesday, Oct. 1. 

 The Wolverines put away the first two sets in short time, 25-7 and 25-10. Head coach Michelle Estes changed up Weiser’s rotation in the third set, where Homedale gave Weiser a run for its money, ending in a 25-27 loss for the Wolverines, and pushing the match to four games.

 With senior night coming right up on Thursday, Oct. 10, the 2024 season is moving quickly and Estes’ rotation strategy served the team well for additional court time across the team’s members. 

 The Wolverines came back in the fourth set, again dominating Homedale with a 25-16 win to end the match.

 Madi Wilkins went 100 percent in serves in on a total of 37 attempts, with five aces, plus completed 10 digs, and 25 assists. 

 The team’s statistics for the night: Ellie Shirts, 11 digs, 2.140 in serve-receive, two aces, and five assists; Adalyn Brush, nine digs, one kill, and two aces; Lucy Hickey, 2.140 in serve-receive, nine kills, and two blocks; Evie Dolton, 18 kills, four aces, and one block; Paisley Noyer, nine kills and five blocks; and Presley Williams, five aces and 13 assists.

 On the road in Vale on Wednesday, Oct. 2, the Lady Wolverines first faced off in a non-conference go-round with Vale’s Lady Vikings, taking a 3-2 loss in the five set matchup, 19-25, 26-28, 25-20, 25-7, and 12-15.

 The Lady Wolverines stats were outstanding:  Dolton, six digs, 19 kills, and four blocks; Hickey, 10 digs, 2.140 serve-receive, 13 kills, two blocks; Wilkins 21 digs, six kills, one ace, 100 percent serves in on 25 serves, and 26 assists; Shirts 27 digs, and 5 assists; Kailee Lerew 15 digs; Brush 10 digs and 3 aces; Williams seven digs and 18 assists; Noyer nine kills, three blocks and one ace.

 Against Emmett in a conference match on Thursday, Oct. 3, the Wolverines wrapped it up in four games with a 3-1 win, 25-12, 25-15, 19-25, 25-16.

 Another evening of solid statistics posted: Dolton 13 digs, 16 kills, and 4 blocks; Hailey Eames six kills and four blocks; Hickey six digs, seven kills, and two blocks; Kamryn Doty seven digs;  Wilkins 26 digs, four kills, 20 assists, and five aces; Shirts 17 digs, 2.460 serve-receive, and two assists; Lerew 13 digs and 3 aces; and Williams, 13 assists and 3 aces.

 From there the Lady Wolverines competed in the Vallivue Tournament Friday and Saturday, where Weiser finished first after pool play out of eight teams, and finished second in the championship match behind first-place McCall-Donnelly. The Wolverines won every set up until dropping the final two sets on Saturday evening.

 Tournament stats: Shirts 2.380 serve-receive, 77 digs, 18 aces, and 21 assists; Lerew 2.160 serve-receive, 48 digs, and seven aces; Dolton 76 digs, 64 kills, one block, and 11 aces; Hickey 14 digs, 51 kills, and 4 blocks; Doty 18 digs, nine kills, and nine blocks; Wilkins 91 digs, 24 kills, three blocks, 18 aces, and 120 assists; Williams 21 digs, 7 aces, and 59 assists; Noyer, 46 kills, and nine blocks; Eames 14 kills, four blocks, and two assists; and Jordan Stromberg, 2 aces.

 “We had a very busy week of playing matches three nights in a row and then competing in a tournament Friday and Saturday,” coach Michelle Estes said. “The girls are amazing and play hard every time they step on the court. It was a week of success! The girls only dropped two matches all week out of the 12 they played. The success also came in the form of learning and improving on their skills and toolbox of options. 

 “I am beyond proud of the effort, adjustments, and competitiveness of the team,” she added. “They do a great job of building each other up and providing support. It is fun to see them finding the balance of their strengths and working as a team. I truly love coaching these girls and seeing their love of the game. We’re looking forward to the final three matches of conference play.”