Spartans practice harder

Times Reporter

 

Third in league volleyball standings, the Strathmore High School (SHS) Spartans varsity girls lessened their record to 4-2, after a defeat on Oct. 21, at home against the Holy Trinity Academy Knights. The Knights are undefeated in six games, and tackled SHS 25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 26-24.

“We’re having a hard time,” said Spartans’ Coach Randy Moncks. “I don’t think we’ve stopped consistently any good team that comes out of the middle. We’re not blocking them – seems like we’re just blocking air.”

Moncks believes the girls played a stronger game in the month of September than October. Their goal is to slow the ball down.

“Maybe the teams are getting better, I don’t know, and we’ve sort of plateaued. I hope that’s not the case,” he said. “We’re creating such gross, unforced errors – it’s so uncharacteristic.”

The varsity girls, though inexperienced, have won 14 sets in league play, and lost only eight; but it’s in exhibition tournaments where Moncks sees them falter.

“We make it to the quarterfinals, and then maybe the pressure’s on. We haven’t gotten past quarterfinals or semifinals. We can’t seem to break over top of that next level,” he said. “Last year at this time, we won those games. Just seems like we’re struggling a little bit with the chemistry, and our lack of confidence right now too is hurting.”

To help, Moncks plans on making practices more challenging for his girls, especially with zones fast approaching.

“You make the drills a little bit more intense, with some consequences. I hope it helps,” Moncks said. “Also, I want to create some drills that allow us to, because we’re so small, create some wipe shots. We’re not a team that can just bury the ball and be done with it.”

SHS is hosting a volleyball tournament on Nov. 1-2, and hope not to have the same slow start to games.

“We seem to get our rhythm back in the second,” Moncks said. “It’s frustrating. Definitely like to see improvement going on, but it seems like we need to work harder and just create fewer mistakes. We score one, and then we give up two. It’s tough.”

SHS had their last game of the season before playoffs on Oct. 28, before time of print, at home against County Central High School.