FIELD TWP- For the first time in a couple of weeks, the North Woods volleyball varsity was back at full strength in numbers on Monday, but a 3-0 loss to the visiting South Ridge Panthers suggests there’s still some rebuilding ahead for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies played from behind most of the match, although they made it close in the first two games, losing 25-21 and 25-20.
The first game looked like it was going to be a blowout for the Panthers when Grizzlies Head Coach Kandi Olson called time with her squad trailing 13-5. Coming out of the pause, Abbigail Shuster fired a service ace that initiated a slow but steady march to get back into contention. A final five-point run brought the Grizzlies to within 22-21, but the Panthers responded with four consecutive points to take the game.
While the Grizzlies took an early 7-5 lead in the next game, the Panthers took command with a nine-point blitz, going up 14-7. This time service aces from Skyler Yernatich and Morgan Burnett and big kills by Burnett and Tori Olson provided sparks for the Grizzlies to climb back into this one. Down 21-15 and with Kara Scofield serving, North Woods reeled off five points to force a South Ridge time out with the Panthers leading by one, 21-20. As with the first game, the Panthers snuffed out the surge to win 25-20.
The Grizzlies were never in the third game, falling behind 13-1 en route to a 25-8 loss.
“The most amazing part about having a full bench was the fact that the energy on that bench was fantastic, those girls were cheering for each other, and they just gave us such a good vibe for most of the game,” Olson said. “However, there is a struggle when you’re trying to blend people back together that just haven’t played next to each other for a while. We haven’t had enough practice days to put it all back together.”
But playing short-handed for several matches wasn’t without some benefit. With numerous starters missing time, other Grizzlies picked up valuable game experience that will likely give Olson more options for the final stretch of the regular season. With that in mind, Olson tested numerous different rotations against South Ridge.
“We knew that there were going to be a few bumps in the road today, because we were putting in kids who had developed new confidence in new spots,” Olson said. “We knew we had to try them in those spots and see how it went. I had hoped we’d have fewer struggles, for sure. But all in all, they did their best trying to figure it out. And that’s all I can ask for.