Hockinson opened its volleyball season with a sweep of Battle Ground on Thursday, Sept. 3, winning 25-15, 25-21 and 25-20 behind a balanced offensive and defensive effort.
Hockinson coach Mallorie Henker said her team came into its first match determined to make an early statement.
“I just think my girls came out and they played really, really hard, and they were determined and came for a good showing for our first match of the season,” Henker said.
Emilie Willis led Hockinson offensively with 17 kills while adding 12 digs and three aces. Setter Caidence Hunt finished with 21 assists, 10 digs and a team-high seven aces.
Evelynn Matson contributed five kills and three blocks, while Juliana Kamahaku added four kills, five blocks and three digs.
The victory marked the beginning of the third season for Henker at the helm of the Hockinson volleyball program. She said the Hawks have a mix of returning players and newcomers who have brought additional energy to the roster as the Hawks look to grow the program each season.
“So, this season I have a lot of returning girls, but I have a lot of new girls that are really bringing some fire and energy to the program,” Henker said. “And we're just going to keep moving forward and keep working hard and battling out every game.”
Hockinson’s serve-receive was one of the biggest strengths Henker saw in the opener, while the Hawks’ front row provided another source of production, she said.
“Our serve-receive is fantastic. We have great serve-receive,” Henker said. “And we have a lot of really strong front row players that can move the ball around, put it down in really key times.”
Battle Ground seeks to continue to gel as a team
The Tigers opened the season against a Hockinson team that proved difficult to slow down, but head coach Myke Pace said he sees potential in his young roster.
“I just told the girls that we have a really high ceiling this year,” Pace said. “I think we've got a lot of potential this year, we've got a lot of new pieces, but we have a lot of potential, we've got a lot of skill and they just need time to work together.”
Battle Ground has just one senior on its roster along with two freshmen, leaving the Tigers with plenty of room to develop chemistry as the season progresses.
“I think it's about gelling and I think it's about being on the court together and about learning each other's tendencies and about our setters learning the hitters and the hitters learning the setters,” Pace said, emphasizing the team chemistry aspect.
Pace said the Tigers’ two freshmen, Treeva Olin and Payton Fridlund, brought noticeable energy in their varsity debuts.
“I was very impressed with both my freshmen tonight,” Pace said. “They showed out for what could have been an intimidating time to play their first home match on varsity as freshmen, and it could have been really intimidating, and they rose to the occasion.”
