The names and faces that dot Polk County’s 2015 volleyball roster are familiar ones – six of the nine players on the squad saw varsity action last season.
But when Polk County opens its season on Tuesday against East Henderson, there will definitely be a different look to the Wolverine lineup. Not just because three all-Western Highlands Conference selections from last season’s co-conference champions have to be replaced, but because head coach Molly Hill spent her first full offseason with the program juggling where her returnees will be playing.
And with Tuesday’s home and season opener looming (junior varsity at 5 p.m., varsity to follow), Hill is happy with what she sees.
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“I feel really good,” Hill said. “We’ve got a lot of returnees. We’ll still be really young, but it makes me feel good to have the seniors we do have still here. I think we’ll be strong.”
On the heels of a 19-6 debut season that included a split of the WHC title with eventual state champion Hendersonville, Hill knew she had to replace departed seniors Sarah Phipps and Kara Overholt, the latter the 2014 conference player of the year. Rising senior and all-WHC pick Lily Owens decided not to play this season, leaving Hill another slot to fill.
The remake began with the setter position, which Overholt, now at Coker College, manned so notably a year ago. Hill decided earlier this year to move senior Savannah Ross into that role.
“I’ve been working one on one to train her,” Hill said. “She has stepped up and completely taken that role and run with it. She obviously has big shoes to fill, but I’m really proud of her. I’ve thrown a lot at her, and she’s taken it and handled it well. She will lead the team and be really disclipined in that role.”
The team’s other senior, Ashley Love, developed into an offensive threat in the middle last season en route to earning all-WHC honors. Love has moved to outside hitter this season, where she will be joined by sophomore Reagan Waddell.
“Reagan is a big, strong, powerful hitter,” Hill said. “Again, this is a new position for her. It’s the first time she’s not played in the middle. But she’s taking it and running with it.
“Ashley is also moving outside, where she has exploded once she’s gotten comfortable. She’s doing well in the back row and will play all the way around.”
Sophomore Cameron Capozzi will play on the right side while junior Addie Lynch moves into the middle.
The team’s other returning all-conference player, sophomore Kendall Hall, earned a handful of national mentions this offseason after she finished fourth nationally among freshmen with 618 digs, according to MaxPreps.com, and sixth among all players in North Carolina, including leading all 2A teams in the state. The 5-7 libero also had 23 aces.
“She’s our stud libero,” Hill said. “I am looking for big things out of her.”
New to the roster this season are junior Georgia Garrett, who will play on the right side, sophomore Lauren Ketwitz, who will see time as a defensive specialist and setter, and freshman Ansley Lynch, who will play in the middle.
Five of the team’s nine players are sophomores or younger, which is one reason Hill has enjoyed having a full offseason with the team. She was hired last year just before the start of fall practice, but still guided the Wolverines to the third round of the state 2A playoffs and was named the WHC coach of the year.
“I feel like it’s been such an advantage to have the time to really train with the team and prepare them,” Hill said. “I knew I had to find the right person to lead the team and replace Kara, and I was able to sit down and figure that out and figure out our summer workouts and have open gyms. We also did some fun things as a team this summer, some team bonding. We had a lot of opportunities this summer and a lot of them took advantage of those.”
Defending state champion Hendersonville is the favorite in a Western Highlands race that Hill expects to be very competitive.
“Mountain Heritage has really stepped up. They’re huge,” Hill said. “They’ve got a couple of girls over six feet who are really good. Avery will be competitive. I think overall, the conference is going to be very competitive this year.
“I’m really confident in my girls and the team we have. I think, hopefully, we can be in the top part of the conference.”
If you have any corrections for the Polk County Volleyball roster please submit it here.
| Number | Player | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ashley Love | Sr. |
| 3 | Savannah Ross | Sr. |
| 4 | Georgia Garrett | Jr. |
| 5 | Addie Lynch | Jr. |
| 6 | Kendall Hall | So. |
| 7 | Cameron Capozzi | So. |
| 8 | Lauren Ketwitz | So. |
| 10 | Reagan Waddel | So. |
| 16 | Ansley Lynch | Fr. |
