BOWLING GREEN – Heading into the back half of its schedule, the Fremont Ross volleyball team knows it’s going to be tested by high-quality programs.
And while some of the results of late haven’t reflected wins on the scoreboard, coach Kari Shull is pleased with how her players are answering the challenge.
Monday night against a talented team at Bowling Green, the Lady Giants lost in three sets, 22-25, 14-25, 24-26. With the exception of an extended run by the Cougars in the second set in which the Lady Giants had trouble with Bowling Green’s serve, which, in turn, made it difficult to run a smooth offense.
“They were just able to expose some of our sore spots or weak spots, they did a good job executing their serves and it took us out of our system and we weren’t able to take as many big swings in Set 2,” Shull said.
“The big difference between Sets 1 and 3 and Set 2 is we took a lot bigger swings in Sets 1 and 3, more aggressive swings, and hit more of our shots that we are continuing to aim on and work for instead of more of our roll shots and things that we did in Set 2.”
Monday’s match went along similar lines as the Lady Giants’ 3-set loss to Northview, 17-25, 15-25, 21-25, though Shull said the final result doesn’t indicate the quality of Ross’ performance.
“We did a great job keeping their middles out of their options, because they’re big and powerful,” Shull said of Northview. “We did a good job hitting into those deep corners and sidelines to get around blocks and take the other team out of their system.
“That’s the most that they’ve executed our gameplan to date,” she added. “Northview was a tough, solid team. If you didn’t find their holes, that ball was coming back over. You had to earn the point or you made a mistake and they the point that way.”
Shull noted her team is playing with a slightly muted energy over its last few matches. But she doesn’t see it as a problem, but rather an indication of the Lady Giants’ concentration on the task at hand.
“Sometimes, when kids focus in like that and are really concentrating and working hard to do the things you’re asking them to do in order to be successful, because it doesn’t come naturally to them, I think they are a little bit quiet,” Shull said. “So it’s starting to click for them and starting to feel natural to them, and I think that energy will come back.”
The Lady Giants are now 5-10 overall but things won’t get any easier. Ross hosts Notre Dame Thursday night and then Ashland visits the Purple Pit Saturday.
“Our back half of the season schedule is really tough,” Shull said. “These last three weeks are tough with Notre Dame and Clay and Perkins and Ashland and Northview and Bowling Green, these are solid programs with big and tall kids. I think Fremont Ross, for all the talent we have, is doing a good job keeping these teams out of their systems and hanging in there staying in there and playing them tough.”