Warlassies jump out to a hot start
Owen volleyball opens the season with back-to-back victories
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 18, 2023
A first-year head coach and young athletic roster has propelled the Owen volleyball team to its best start since the shortened 2020 season, following a 3-1 victory, Aug. 17, over Enka.
The Warlassies, led by freshmen Mia Roland, Kenzie Robinson, sophomore Easton Whitson and seniors Abby Reitzel, Hayden Koone and Mary Keeter, opened the season with back-to-back home victories under Nikki Roland.
Owen started the campaign, Aug. 16, with a 3-0 win over North Buncombe, before returning to their home court the next night to face the Sugar Jets. The home team took the first set against Enka, 25-17. The Warlassies opened the second set with 5 straight points, eventually extending their lead to as many as 8, before taking a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Sugar Jets, however, stormed back, taking the third set, 25-21, and setting up an intense battle in the subsequent frame. Owen led by as many as 4 points in the final set, but an Enka rally evened the score, 19-19, taking the lead with the next point. The Warlassies responded by scoring the next two points before closing out the match, 27-25.
Roland was encouraged by her young roster’s response to adversity late in the match.
“I think this is just the beginning,” the coach said of her team’s performance. “This game really showcased how hard we’ve worked getting ready for the season. These girls have put in hours of work, and they’re seeing the results of that early.”
The former Warlassies volleyball player, who graduated from Owen in 2003, emphasized her players’ determination to rebuild the program, which excluding the shortened pandemic year, is off to its best start in over a decade.
“We want to lean into that Valley pride, which is largely about people working together to accomplish a goal,” Roland said. “This year, we’ve had amazing support from the community, so we want to show the people who are supporting us that we’re working to improve everyday.”
Owen finished fourth in the Western Highlands Conference in 2022, ending its season in the second round of the state playoffs. Roland believes her team is capable of improving on last year’s 15-8 mark.
“I’m extremely confident in this group,” she said. “I believe in these girls, and they believe in each other. They play to win, but more importantly, they want to see each other succeed. So, we have a situation where everybody on this team is playing together, but also rooting for each other.”
Seniors Reitzel and Koone, along with freshman standout Roland, have emerged as leaders on the court, according to the coach.
“One of the things that makes this group special is how well they work together,” she said. “In a lot of ways we have leaders all over the court. That was something that really stood out tonight, especially in that final set. You could see players like Kenzie, who is a freshman, Abby, Hayden and Mia out there encouraging their teammates when it mattered the most.”
While success will not necessarily be measured by wins, the coach added, the Warlassies are aiming for one of the top three spots in the WHC.
“Ultimately, what I would consider a successful season for us is that every player is fully invested in this team,” she said. “If we do everything we’re supposed to do, these girls will have fun playing this game, and every player will be looking forward to coming back next season, win or lose. This is a young team, and we all believe we have a bright future ahead of us.”
The Warlassies will travel to Enka at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, to face the Sugar Jets, kicking off a three-game road trip. They return home, Thursday, Aug. 31, for a WHC matchup against Draughn.
Photos of Owen’s victory over Enka can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.