Warlassies stretch winning streak to six games
Owen defeats Madison in straight sets in WHC Mathcup
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
September 20, 2024
The Warlassies continued their winning ways, Sept. 19, as they hosted Western Highlands Conference opponent Madison for the first of two matchups between the teams this season.
Owen needed only three sets, outscoring the Patriots, 25-14, 28-26, 25-20, to extend its current winning streak to six games.
Following a 2-4 start to the season, the Warlassies found a winning formula this month, taking 17 of 18 sets played against WHC competition. Owen’s last lost a match, Aug. 29, on the road against first-place Draughn. As the team improved to 8-4 with a victory over Madison, it retains sole possession of second place with a 5-1 mark in conference play.
“We’ve finally settled on a rotation that works well for us,” Owen head coach Nikki Roland said after the match. “We’ve been able to use our hitters a little more, which has helped, but we still have a few things we need to adjust to.”
Finding a complementary combination of players on the roster of one freshman, six sophomores, two juniors and three seniors has boosted the program through the first half of the conference season.
“The girls have figured out they can trust each other, they move well, pick each other up when mistakes happen and they’ve done a really good job over these past six games,” Roland said. “We have a chemistry right now that is working for us, and as a result we’re seeing the girls get really comfortable out there.”
Owen was in full control most of the night against Madison, building upon an early lead throughout the first set and overcoming a late push by the visiting team to take the second. The Warlassies never trailed in the final frame.
“Consistency has been a key for us in these last six matches,” the coach said. “We’ve been looking at different options for hitters and setters and the players did a great job rolling with it, early in the season. Now they know what to expect and they’re focused on improving in their positions.”
While team captains and sophomores Mia Roland and Kenzie Robinson continue to set the tone for the Warlassies, their teammates, including Ava Grant and Adeline West, have played big roles in important moments.
“Savannah Hollingsworth is another player who has really stepped up, even as we were sort of playing around with different players in the libero position earlier in the season,” the coach said. “Payten Brockman has really done a great job coming in for us as a defensive specialist. It’s really been a team effort.”
Owen will focus on maintaining its momentum as it prepares to host Draughn at 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 24, in a clash between the top two teams in the WHC.
“We have a lot of game footage to watch and a few things to adjust based off our first game against them,” Coach Roland said. “They have two players in the middle who are solid there, and we really need to work on ways to get around them.”
The contest will offer a mid-season test for the Warlassies, she added.
“It would be amazing if we can split the series with them, and playing in front of a home crowd will be great,” the coach said. “They’ll be tough to beat, so we just need to be ready.”
Photos of the match between Owen and Madison can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.