The #7 (2A) Aplington-Parkersburg volleyball team is continuing to make strides with about half of its starting lineup being different than most of last season. Senior DS Emma Wolff, junior outside hitter Kolbie Wangsness and junior middle/right side hitter Ava Eddy have stepped into increased roles.
Head Coach Candace Kleespies says Wolff’s role has expanded because of an intense work ethic.
“We have asked her to kind of increase her role compared to last year,” Kleespies says. “Last year she came in and gave us just kind of defense. And this year we’ve added that serve receive with her and then also her serving 100 percent of the time. And Emma is definitely one that has just worked so hard with her serve receive game and one that we really trust in serve receive. She’s helped us out big there. And then, last week in Dike, she was second for us with 17 digs. She’s really improved her game from last year.”
Stepping into an outside hitter role, Wangsness has filled a large role as one of the primary hitters, having recorded 59 kills in 13 matches.
“Not only are you coming in and starting varsity, but you’re a six rotation left pin for us. And that’s a big role to fill. And Kolbie’s done a good job at finding holes with her swing, but then another one who just works really hard in serve receive and gives us a lot of good balls in serve receive. She’s usually in the top two or three for digs on our team in every match also. She’s come in and given us great balls also.”
Kleespies says Eddy’s role has evolved throughout her career.
“Ava does a lot of things that are unseen that help us out greatly. She gets us a lot of touch with her block. It gives us a chance at balls. And then she also is a middle that goes back and can easily serve you nine to 10 balls at the service line. She does a lot for us and has really stepped up into that middle role that none of us thought that she would be in, honestly, this year. We had started her out on the right pin and just moved her there to see what she could do for us and did a lot. She took that starting role in the middle and has ran with it.”
The Falcons will be back in action at a tournament at #11 (1A) Gladbrook-Reinbeck Saturday.
Candace Kleespies interview:
