With a young team, one of the first thing a coach looks for is the way they handle adversity.
Polk County volleyball is doing pretty well.
The Wolverines fell behind in the first two games Wednesday, surrendered a huge lead in the third, but overcame all of that to take a 3-0 (25-23, 28-26, 27-25) victory over A.C. Reynolds to move to 2-0 on the season.
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“We’re just getting a little buried in our mistakes,” Polk County coach Molly Hill said. “We’re freaking out a little bit when we’re getting stuck in serve receive, and I just keep telling them that’s when we’ve got to come together. We’ve got to remember what our roots are, which is side out in three balls or less. If we miss that, we’ve got to do everything right at that point.
“Everybody’s doing their job, everybody’s focused, and that’s just a mental thing. It’s about dialing that in and taking control of the game.”
Polk County trailed as late as 21-20 in the first game, a back-and-forth battle in which neither team led by more than three. But after a kill by Anna Stone gave the Rockets their final lead of the night, Polk County responded by scoring five of the next seven points to take the win, with a crucial ace by Elena Greve included in the run.
The second game was just as tense, even if it featured a little more breathing room on each side. Polk County fell behind by as many as five points before mounting a comeback to lead for the first time at 16-15. The teams battled back and forth for the rest of the game, with Polk eventually leading 24-22 on Charley Dusenbury’s kill.
Reynolds then took over, pushing the Wolverines to the limit at 25-24 and again at 26-25, but Dusenbury broke a 26-26 tie with a kill, a head bob and a fist pump, and Polk County put the game away on the next point.
At seemingly every point in the match when the Wolverines needed a big play, Dusenbury showed up and made it. She finished with eight kills, two blocks, 10 assists and 19 digs.
“I said at the end of the game, Charley’s playing so well right now,” Hill said. “She’s really being a good leader, she’s playing big at the net, she’s running our offense. She’s just doing really well. We’re super proud of her.”
Polk County looked to be cruising in the third game, leading 23-17 on a kill by Akeela Cunningham. They almost gave it all back; Reynolds scored eight of the game’s next 10 points to forge a 25-25 tie. However, the Wolverines collected themselves and finished it off with two points in a row for the 3-0 sweep.
Cunningham was a standout for Polk County, notching 11 kills, a block, an assist, 17 digs and three aces.
“Akeela’s not huge as far as height, but she can jump out of the gym,” Hill said. “It’s really benefiting her. I think people look at her and thing she’s a small hitter, but then they see her jump and it’s wait a minute, she’s a threat. She’s really been playing well. She’s got a good, aggressive serve, she’s a really good passer, and she dives after everything. She’s not afraid to put her body on the floor, and she’s doing good.”
Hill is happy to see players stepping into their roles after massive graduation losses from the two-time defending state champions, and happy to be 2-0.
“Obviously I knew we’re kind of starting over and filling some positions and having people step up in ways that they hadn’t,” she said. “But I also knew their potential because I’ve had these girls and worked with them. They’ve been on the team, and now it’s kind of their turn, and what are you going to do with it?
“Rise to the occasion. That’s what we’ve been talking about. Last year’s team was great and we owe so much to them. But now it’s your turn. Take that and run with it.”
