Week Two - The Queens of the Aces…
9/17/23
As we get older, the little things start to show. Maybe we were too busy when young and just didn’t pay attention. Maybe we’ve been watching the same stories unfold year after year when old, so we peer into the spectacle and stare longer to find something new. Every season is a cycle (Cue the Birds…Turn, Turn, Turn), featuring birth of the team, planning period to put the pieces in the spots, compete and learn, final adjustments, and then the end. Throughout that cycle, human beings, all with maximum complexity, strive to create. Whether it’s a player looking to become elite in the league, a coach trying to find the right combination for success, a player looking to break the role they’re in and earn a different role, plus many others, there is always action and reaction. Cause and effect. If then.
This season, we’re already at the compete and learn stage and the results are interesting thus far. More teams then in recent memory are winning matches through service aces. With passing at a premium and players serving tougher…that equation begets a lot of aces. I mean a lot of aces! As scores and stats come in, I’m a little bit amazed at how many service aces are being generated to start the season. Serving is a tight-rope walk adventure normally. Serve to easily and the opponent just runs hitting lines on you. Serve too aggressively, and you make too many errors. Either way you lose the match. In the volleyball world I came from, you get three aces in a match you’re cooking from the line. In 2023, I’m seeing stat lines of people having seven, eight, nine, even ten plus aces in a match. That’s crazy to me.
The season will chug along and perhaps this overabundance Ace generation phenomenon will continue…what will be the counter to that? It’s that piece that I’m excited to see in the next weeks and months. Will teams pass with four across more? Will they go to a two person serve receive to just have their top passes protect from the ace? Will time be spent trying to create more players with serving arms that generate points in one moment? Exciting stuff, and all the while the conversations, decisions, and actions will occur, and all have consequences that will expose an outcome.
This is why coaches work so hard, because there is always a hope that an interaction, conversation, or decision will have the positive outcome that tips the balance and creates a season that is unforgettable. Most players don’t see it till way past their playing days, but if you can see it sooner…you may just have more peace of mind and enjoy all the moments in the present. Take it from a guy who didn’t see it until way on down the road…and wish he had seen it when it was happening.
Big Stat Games of the Week…
Abby Spadoni (Coventry) - 9 kills, 16 digs, and 2 aces at Mount Saint Charles — 16 digs, 4 aces, 4 kills at Cranston East
Addison Patrick (Coventry) - 8 kills, 5 blocks at Mount Saint Charles — 9 kills, 2 blocks at Cranston East
Lexi Cole (Chariho) - 25 assists, 4 aces, 3 kills, and 7 digs at East Greenwich…hit the 1000 career assist mark!
Jules White (Chariho) - 10 kills, 10 digs, and 4 aces at East Greenwich
Taliyah Pereira (Classical) - 13 kills, 10 digs vs. Cranston East
Trinity Burk (Tolman) - 11 kills, 3 blocks, and an ace at Burrillville
Gwen Delaney (Middletown) - 5 kills, 7 aces vs. Exeter-West Greenwich
Lyla Auth (Westerly) - 10 kills, 13 assists, and 5 aces at Ponaganset — 19 assists, 16 digs, and 8 aces vs. Cumberland — 23 assists, 15 digs, and 7 blocks at Fitch HS.
Mia Iemma (South Kingstown) - 6 aces, 13 digs vs. Prout
India Vaughn-Hallene (South Kingstown) - 7 kills, 2 blocks, and an ace vs. Prout
Casey Weaver (Lincoln) - 10 kills, 4 aces vs. Rogers
Maya Solecki (Mount Saint Charles) - 10 kills, 8 digs and an ace at East Greenwich
Kaelyn Whitaker (La Salle) - 16 kills vs. Portsmouth
Abby Crowley (La Salle) - 31 assists, 14 digs vs. Portsmouth
Maisy Naff (La Salle) - 12 kills, 14 digs vs. Portsmouth
Brianna Hartman (East Greenwich) - 13 kills, 7 assists, and 7 digs vs. Mount Saint Charles
Hannah Gaffney (East Greenwich) - 25 digs, 2 aces vs. Mount Saint Charles
Lindsay Molis (Cumberland) - 13 kills at Westerly
Karmen Lambert (South Kingstown) - 9 aces, 5 kills vs. West Warwick
Julia Polofsky (Tiverton) - 5 aces, 4 kills, and 10 digs vs. Central Falls
Ava Sardelli (North Kingstown) - 11 kills at Portsmouth
Syd Henson (North Kingstown) - 19 digs at Portsmouth
Liv Rollinson (Coventry) - 10 kills, 4 aces at Cranston East
Mia Shaw (Mt. Hope) - 32 Assists, 6 digs at Johnston
ResV Player of the Week (2) - Lyla Auth (Westerly) - Auth had a monster week where the Bulldogs went 1 - 2. She was instrumental in all of the matches. Generating 28 points vs. Ponaganset, 27 points against Cumberland, and 30 points at Fitch HS, Auth does a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs and she’s only a second year so expect more of the same in the future.
North Kingstown (2 - 0) - Skippers start their season clean with a win at West Warwick and bigger win at Portsmouth. No one likes to play at Portsmouth, and with the trip to the eerie gymnasium resulting in a three-set sweep it may be an indicator that North Kingstown isn’t playing around this year. Understandably so, as Ella Maack and Annie Draper are seniors and want to finish their careers in the winner’s circle. Syd Henson and Tessa LeFrenier have another year as does Ava Sardelli giving the Skippers a feel of longevity regardless. Huge week three features a three match home stand vs. Prout, South Kingstown, and La Salle. No doubt the Forge will live up to it’s name.
Coventry (4 - 0) - The Oakers are quietly designing a start to their season that will pay dividends in the future. Though having some challenging moments in terms of getting gym time due to heat and other issues, Coventry still started off unblemished and it’s allowed them to figure things out on the fly. Liv Rollinson is a threat on the pin and Addison Patrick is a solid middle. Abby Spadoni is a pin who isn’t generating a lot of kills yet, but has become the defensive stalwart for the team that Taylor Stevenin was. With two sweeps this week versus Mount Saint Charles and Cranston East…both on the road, there is a lot of good vibes going into week three. Chariho and East Greenwith will be visiting Oaker land next.
[↑ 1] La Salle Academy (3 - 1) - Adjustments can change a season. The Rams made a couple and feel to be on a roll. Moving Kaelyn Whitaker to the outside has been a strong move as Whitaker can now take more swings and keep more plays alive. Maizy Naff becoming the focal point of the passing, along with Sofia D’Augostino gives a nice groove. Consequently, they could be the youngest passing duo going right now as both are Sophs. Better passing means more connections in the middle for Olivia Higgins and from there Abby Crowley can now call a game. Love it when a plan comes together (Cue the A-Team theme)! Week three will test their new configuation as they see South Kingstown and home followed by West Warwick and North Kingstown on the road.
[↑ 1] South Kingstown (2 - 1) - So, you’re the Rebels and you have a tough opening loss to Portsmouth, but it’s at Portsmouth and we all know that place is haunted. No biggie. You come on home and get two vics over Prout and West Warwick. All right, we’re clicking now. Right. So, let’s go have the toughest week we can! Schedule design aside, seeing La Salle and North Kingstown back-to-back twice in a season is pretty something. SK will do it this upcoming week three and then do it again in the last week of the season. Huzzah! The Rebels are going to need big games from Sierra Thompson, Karmen Lambert, and Alex Spinella to make this one work. They certainly can do it as Thompson is the real deal in the middle, Lambert is a solid pin, and Spinella runs a good offense. Probably the X-factor will be the play of India Vaughn-Hallene. If India and Sierra can cause havok in the middle, everything else will open up.
[↓ 2] Portsmouth (1 - 2) - Tough week for the Patriots. Going on the road to the Mountain Top of La Salle and dropping a four-setter wasn’t what the Doctor was looking for. Nor was hosting North Kingstown and dropping in three. Tough opponents to be sure, but certainly teams you’ll need to go through to make a run at the whole thing. Hailey Labonte and Avery Pelletier are the main weapons of choice (all I can think of now is Christopher Walken dancing in a hotel) for top setter Caitlin Mediate as the Patriots will spend week three on the road at West Warwick and Prout. Have to think getting these two matches will be key as they gear up for an even tougher week four.
East Providence (5 - 0) - The Townies are off to a start that showcases the articles that were written about them a week or so ago. They are looking to run the table. Now, Cumberland and Middletown may have some thoughts on the matter, but this EP start is pretty significant. The marquee wins of the week included two three-set sweeps over potential playoff opponents Barrington and Mt. Hope. The Townies have yet to lose a set on the season and have only been pushed to the brink in two sets, once in set two at Cranston West and once in set one at Mt. Hope. Running the modified 6 / 2, Kiera Mullen is a Player of the Year candidate. Meanwhile, Libero Daniella Escudero is off to a solid start as is Malia Mullen in the middle. St. Rapheal’s and Johnston are next in line.
Cumberland (4 - 1) - Feeling like I’ve wrote this before…no matter, here we go again. The Clippers only have eyes for East Providence. Similarly, to last year, Cumberland knows that East Providence is the team that they have to get through. In 2022, the Townies shut the door on them in the semis. The struggle is real as a wise coach once told me. Thus, the 2023 Clippers are built for speed with gaze toward the Townies. Grace Iannuzi and Lindsay Molis are playing good ball and Brennah Abilheira-Cargill anchors the ball control as Cumberland continues their march toward week seven which they’ll dub EP Week…or I’ll call it, the “we get some answers” week. Mt. Hope and Barrington are potential pitfalls, plus there is Middletown waiting at the end. None the less, getting past North Smithfield and Westerly this week keeps their Division Two mark clean with Cranston West and Barrington coming up over the next hill.
Chariho (3 - 1) - The Chargers have only lost a single set since losing to Cumberland in the opener of their season. That single set came at the hands of the Avengers at the Avenger Castle. Otherwise, Mount Saint Charles, Fitch, and East Greenwich have fallen to Chariho in relatively convincing fashion. Jules White is have a career year, while Lexi Cole just passed the 1000 career assist mark. Katja Nelson continues to be the solid middle while Emma Kocab is becoming a dynamic libero for the green. Traveling to Oaker land to deal with the current #2 in the state will be an excellent test for a Chargers squad that is experienced and looking to make another big splash.
[↑ 1] Classical (1 - 1) - The Purple get a key win over Cranston East and right their record to .500. Classical has two pins in Taliyah Pereira and Harmoney Forrest who do work and it’s a bear to try to contain them. With Mount Saint Charles and East Greenwich up next, two teams that should be in their wheelhouse, it’ll be interesting to see what result comes out. Pereira is able to hit shots well, especially cross court winners, while Forrest is uber aggressive taking huge swings on every set. Classical is a fun team to watch and their whole system is based on whether then can pass well enough to allow Deana Baez to find attackers. Week three should provide some indication if Classical is ready to jump to the next step.
[↑ 1] Middletown (2 - 0) - Two up, two down…and one of them is absolutely a playoff opponent in the future. Actually, both may be. The Islanders have themselves a squad and taking both Exeter-West Greenwich and Bay View in the first week of play sets the standard. Gwen Delaney is the focal point, but Gianna Piker and Aidan Reilly are also contributing at a high level to start the 2023 Islander campaign. North Smithfield and Mt. Hope are up next, with the Mt. Hope match being another nice test. If Middletown can win out next week as well, they’ll have taken down two of the projected big four hurdles in their path leaving their eyes yearning for Cumberland and East Providence.
[↑ 2] Mount Saint Charles (2 - 2) - Coach Gould’s crew needed a win desperately in week two, having only beaten D2 foe Lincoln to date. Chariho and Coventry both dealt losses, so to stay in the hunt, they had to have one. The Avengers of East Greenwich would be that one. MSC was able to hand a defeat to EG at their castle and it was a moment where it may have saved the season. Dropping three in a row going into week three would have been tough. Maya Solecki was solid in the win and continues to be the go-to for this club. Coming up next is Cranston East and Classical and it’s going to be another week where you have to have one, but two would be better.
[↓ 3] East Greenwich (1 - 2) - The Avengers sit at 1 - 2, with a key player out to injury and a tough schedule on the horizon. Seeing Classical and Coventry in week three, missing Amanda Duke, probably the focal point of their system, creates a challenge and some questions. EG, against Cranston East, ran the modified 6/2 that East Providence is running with Duke playing the main role that Kiera Mullen is playing for EP. With Duke out of the equation at the moment, the question becomes what system to run? In the loss to MSC, they tried the 6/2 and it didn’t provide enough benefit. In the third set, they flipped to a 5/1 (meaning just one setter) and the offensive production improved. Having a single setter allowed Gabi Jackson, Brianna Hartman, and Lauren Mignanelli to have a little more comfort which generated quality swings. Hannah Gaffney is the real deal at the Libero position which also helps the cause. Whatever adjustments they run with, it’ll be with the hope of getting improved for the eventual return of Duke.
[↓ 1] Barrington (2 - 1) - The Eagles got the win they needed over Pilgrim, but were unable to really push the powerhouse of East Providence. They don’t really need to push them yet, but getting a taste of what needs to be done when they see them later on is key. Barrington has a lot of positives that include a nice home turf advantage, a solid libero in Morgan Martin, and good arm in Kasey Dillon. The question becomes can they score enough to alter teams like Cumberland, East Providence, Middletown, and Mt. Hope? Jury is out on that, but to be fair, the jury is out on the majority of teams in the league. Increasing their serving pressure is another goal that will pay off in the long run. Ponagansett is on the horizon and then a big home stand versus Cumberland follows.
Bay View Academy (1 - 1) - Jumping divisions can be a wild ride. The Bengals are getting that experience for sure. Opening up against Johnston, Bay View got on the board with a W. All good stuff. Then, hosting Middletown, the ride took a sharp turn with the Islanders bringing the heat and dishing out the Bengals first loss…and Bay View hasn’t traveled yet. With six seniors on the roster and the experience from last year to draw from, the Bengals will try to put into motion a run that can get them to the playoffs. From there, anything is possible as their previous season so elegantly showed. For now, the schedule doesn’t get any easier as a date with Mt. Hope is next followed by a solid Lincoln side as well.
[New] Mt. Pleasant (3 - 0) - The Kilties jump onto the board with a huge week two. Getting key wins over Providence Country Day and Blackstone Valley, in five-sets and four-sets respectively. Considering the other monster out in the wilderness is Shea, knocking down the other two is exactly what you do when they’re in front of you. Granted, lots of season to play and every team will improve, but it’s a great start for Mt. Pleasant and Coach Ka Men. Davies and Hope are next on the schedule, but one has to think that everyone is looking forward to week four when the Kilties host the Raiders for a premier showdown!
Receiving Votes: Tolman, Shea, Juanita Sanchez, Westerly, Block Island, Lincoln
ResV Player of the Week…
Week 1 - Caitlin Mediate (Portsmouth)
Week 2 - Lyla Auth (Westerly)
Playoff Races Through Week Two…
Division One…
North Kingstown - Skippers do what they do… They also ain’t afraid of no ghost!
Coventry - Oakers continue steady play and keep rounding into form.
La Salle - Rams make some adjustments and gets some Vics.
South Kingstown - If they can own the middle, they’ll cause some issues.
Portsmouth - Double setback week means a strong week needed next.
Division Two…
East Providence - Townies keep rolling dispatching Mt. Hope and Barrington.
Cumberland - Clips continue to look smooth with some tests to come.
Middletown - Two matches, two wins. Let’s see what the next two bring.
Mt. Hope - Probably a team to avoid in the playoffs. They can do some work on you fast.
Division Three…
Tolman - Here comes Pawtucket, and there is this sense there is some scores to settle.
Juanita Sanchez - JS once again in the mix. Most hold down the fort at home at all cost.
Burrillville - Dispatching Toll Gate and Scituate says they’re for real.
Toll Gate - Titans slip on the Burrillville banana peel. Taking out Tolman this week would make some noise.
Block Island - The ultimate home field advantage. They’ve played Juanita Sanchez and won, but need to see more.
Division Four…
Mt. Pleasant - Kilties sit atop D4 after knocking off PCD and Blackstone Valley. Davies and Hope are next.
Shea - Shea also has three wins and a vic over PCD. Blackstone Valley is on the horizon.
Blackstone Valley - Losing in four to Mt. Pleasant sets the bar. Upsetting Shea at Shea would break some glass.
Providence Country Day - It’s a rebuilding year now with two losses, however, plenty of season to play and polish up.
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
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