Week Two - Avengers Slide as Chargers, Bulldogs, and Skippers Gain Ground
9/18/22
Week 2 can be gamey for many programs. You’ve survived the first couple of battles, but now some people have seen you play, and the counter maneuvers begin. There is also the slight hangover that can occur after jumping in with two feet in the first go-around, to the natural grind of the season. Week 2 tends to bring upsets, can set trends, and allots for movement on the board as teams began to really press for consistency while some miss the mark.
The biggest upset of Week 2 came at the hands of the Mount Saint Charles Mounties. Hosting the Avengers from East Greenwich, who were coming off of back-to-back wins over the Cranstons, the Mounties were eager to put a mark on the board. What felt initially like a decent match-up for the Avengers quickly turned into a nightmare for them as the Mounties controlled the action in the important parts of the match. Before East Greenwich could figure which side was up, Mount had secured the 4-set victory.
South Kingstown - (2 -0) - Defending champs got another single win under their belt in Week 2, as the weather certainly played a role in that development. The gym at Prout was too slippery for safety and the match was postponed till a later date. SK was able to hand West Warwick a loss with solid play from Ava Brock and Natalia McNeal in the week. The Rebels will be tested in week 3 with North Kingstown and La Salle Academy on the docket, though both on their home turf.
La Salle Academy - (4 - 0) - The Rams continue their roll as early in the week they took down Prout in straight sets, once again setting the tone that wins would be hard to come by in their mountain home. La Salle then traveled to East Greenwich looking for another quick vic. What they received was a very game Avenger side looking to finish the week strong. In a five-set thriller, the Rams survived the ordeal. Led by Somadina Amaechina, La Salle became the second 4-0 team in D-1 alongside Coventry.
Coventry - (4 - 0) - The Oakers completed their second two-win week with Ws over Mount Saint Charles and Cranston East. Both opponents were able to push Coventry and create some uncomfortable moments, however, neither were able to carry the ball over the finish line in any set. Led by Liv Rollinson and Abigail Spadoni, both averaging 2.5 kills per set, and Tyler Stevenin, averaging 7.6 digs for set, the Oakers look built to cause issues to anyone stepping on the court.
↑ 1 North Kingstown - (3 - 1) - The Skippers rebounded from a tough opening loss in week 1 to La Salle to roll off two straight. Claiming vics over West Warwick and Portsmouth. Annie Draper’s 14 kills vs. Portsmouth impressed while Ella Maack’s 28 assists in that match was also worth highlighting. The Skippers have a late week date with the defending champs in week 3 and that match will tell a lot about where both programs are.
↑ 1 Chariho - (3 - 0) - The Chargers only had one contest in Week 2 and it was against a capable St. Raphael’s squad on their home ice. Katja Nelson led the way with 9 kills while Lexi Cole ran the show with 24 assists in solid 4-set win for Chariho. With Johnston and Burrillville up next in Week 3, the Chargers will look to stay perfect in the D-2 race.
↓ 2 East Greenwich - (3 - 2) - No way else to put it, the Avengers had a tough week. Getting upset by Mount Saint Charles and then losing a 5-set heartbreaker to La Salle is almost the dictionary definition of tough weeks in RI HS volleyball. The Avenger do have a lot of the pieces to the puzzle but need to lean on left side Melis Kocak more when points are needed. The road doesn’t get much easier for them either. With Classical, a team that can cause some pain points, and Coventry, a team that can blank you fast if they’re on, the Avengers will need to learn the lessons from Week 2 quickly.
Cumberland - (3 - 1) - The Clippers did their thing in Week 2 and held serve. Visiting Mt. Hope and coming home with a well-paced 3-set victory set the tone for their week. Cumberland then hosted a solid Lincoln team that gave the home side everything they could handle. The Lions stole a set and pushed two sets to extra frames, giving the Clippers pause. Week 3 will be even tougher as a premier date with the Townies looms.
↑ 2 Westerly - (3 - 0) - The Bulldogs jumped a couple spots on the board with wins over St. Raphael’s and Johnston to start the season 3 - 0. The Panthers and the Saints did not, however, go down quietly. Both matches were 4 sets grinds, but then again even the first match of the season against Rogers was filled with high and tight scores. The Bulldogs have pieces to the puzzle, can hang, and they’re also getting experiences in grinding out sets…Good stuff for a D-2 run!
East Providence - (5 - 0) - The Townies are the sole 5 - 0 club in D-2. Forget that, they’re the only 5 - 0 team in the state right now. With wins over Middletown, Pilgrim and Ponaganset in Week 2, East Providence is doing the job. Cumberland will be the real test tomorrow and it should be in the Townies favor as they are hosting this particular BBQ.
Cranston East - (1 - 2) - The Bolts had a 1 - 1 week handing the second loss of the year to Classical and then battling Coventry to a 3-set defeat. CE enters the board with a gritty style of play and led by outside hitter Sarina Marines and libero Taylor Simoneau. Marines gave Coventry fits and Simoneau proved up to the task with most of what the Oaker’s were dishing out.
↓ 3 West Warwick - (1 - 3) - The Wizards had a tough week as their road woes continued when they saw both Kingstown squads in the timeline. They were able to nab a set from North, but South blanked them in the match later on. West Warwick will look to regroup in Week 3 as they see Portsmouth and La Salle Academy to conclude their brutal start of the season with six consecutive games on the road.
Classical - (0 - 2) - The Purple find themselves in the basement of D-1 B with Cranston West, though a two-game sample isn’t really enough to judge what their level is. They have a 4-set loss to both Coventry and Cranston East, both currently on the top 15 list and the scores are ok. Week 3 comes with a visit to the reeling Avengers of East Greenwich and then hosting Mount Saint Charles. If they can take one of them down, one gets the feeling the season could turn in a different direction.
↑ 1 Scituate - (2 - 1) - With two 4-set victories on the week against Tolman and Woonsocket, the Spartans certainly feel like they are in the mix for the D3 title. With Bay View jumping on the board and the dangerous Central Falls still perfect on their current D3 schedule, the Spartans do have their work cut out for them as they look to repeat.
↑ 1 Central Falls - (3 - 0) - The Warriors have kept their sheet clean thus far as they lean heavily on Joana Rodrigues for kills and points. Rodrigues had 13 kills and 2 aces in the Tiverton win while also being a huge factor in upending Narragansett (the D4 champs who moved up a level). With D3 feeling like a three-team race right now, though it is early, you have to like Central Falls with Joana on the floor.
Bay View - (3 - 0) - The Tigers leapt onto the board after jumping out to a 3 - 0 record in Week 2. Woonsocket, Toll Gate and Central have all fallen to Bay View with only Toll Gate winning a single set. Certainly, it could be premature to have them here as a three-match sample may not be telling the entire story, however, we’ll learn soon enough their true status as Scituate is next.
Receiving Votes — Mount Saint Charles, Portsmouth, Prout, Middletown, Johnston, Barrington, Narragansett
To send season updates, stories, and players to consider…or inquire about coffee beans that Coach roasts himself, to Coach Reslow - Scott.Reslow@protonmail.com