Volleyball aims to gain its rhythm in pre-season

Above: Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter Maycee Abendschein hits the ball over the net as Warner Pacific defender attempts to block it Below: Middle Blocker Kylie Kitzmiller jumps to block the ball against her Warner Pacific opponent

After an exceptional season that brought another NWAACC championship to Mt. Hood, the Saints volleyball team is looking to reload and build off last year’s success.

Head coach Chelsie Speer enters her fourth season as the Saints head coach, winning the Southern Region in each of her first three seasons with the program. After finishing second at NWAACCs in 2009 and 2010, a 35-4 record helped Speer and her players finally bring a title back to Mt. Hood.

The only returners from last year’s title team include sophomores Alyssa Hall, Kelsey Meritt, Maycee Abendschein and Anna Vieru. The Saints also welcome transfer Kylie Kitzmiller, who redshirted at Western Oregon last season.

In the team’s first tournament of the year, they traveled to Salt Lake City Aug. 31-Sept. 1, where a slow start led to a 1-3 record for the weekend, only defeating Northeastern Jr. College (sweeping the Plainsmen three games to none). After beating Bellevue Sept. 5 in four games (19-25, 25-21, 25-23, 23-23), the Saints went to Walla Walla on Sept. 7-8, going 3-2 in their second tournament of the young season.

Consistency set in when Mt. Hood went undefeated Sept. 14-15 in the Edmonds Crossover tournament, rattling off six wins in two days.

Three Hood players earned all-tournament honors. Freshman Tori Kemper was selected as most valuable player of the tournament, Freshman Morgan Entze named outstanding setter, and Kitzmiller was also listed as an all-tournament player as well. According to Speer, Abendschein and Merritt contributed heavily during their first tournament win of the year.

On Tuesday, the Saints suffered another set back with a 3-0 loss at the hands of Warner Pacific. Several Mt. Hood players from last season’s championship team are now a part of that Knights squad, including Rylie Engelson, Sam Bryan and Devan Belshe.

After an up and down preseason, but showing flashes of continued success from last season, the Saints headed south for their first league match of the year and took on the Southwest Oregon Lakers Friday, Sept. 21. On Saturday, Mt. Hood were scheduled to play league opponent Umpqua. Results from both matches were unavailable by production deadline.

This week, the Saints will host Chemeketa CC Wednesday, and welcome Linn-Benton Friday.

Advocate Staff