Warrior volleyball shows grit on the court

There's no doubt, the Delaware Valley High School girl’s volleyball program encountered tough competition all through the recently concluded season.

But the Warriors never retreated and always faced their opponents head on. Much more often than not, the final score was in their favor throughout their fall campaign.

The Warriors tallied an outstanding overall record of 15-3. In the Wyoming Valley Conference, they had a sparkling record of 13-2.

Many factors contributed to this success. Head coach Bridget Crawford recalled a highlight moment from this year’s contests.

“I feel our team played outstanding at the Clarkstown South High School Volleyball Tournament,’’ she said. “It was a turning point in the season. They played consistently with serving, serve receive, and they were able to run plays.’’

The leadership was consistently strong and helped propel the Warriors to victory.

“Senior Emily Anderson was our leading scorer with kills,’’ Crawford said. “She is a 6-foot, 3-inch outside hitter that can play in all six rotations. Junior Kelly Volavka is our setter and led the Wyoming Valley Conference with assists. Gabby Lee, another senior, did an outstanding job with leading the underclassman in preparing them for practice and games.’’

Coach Crawford rightly noted the number of student-athletes who showed steady improvement on the court throughout 2019.

“Brooke Acoveno, our junior middle hitter, suffered a high ankle sprain during our volleyball camp in July, so we looked to Jazmyne Bates to help out in the middle,’’ she said. “Brooke is a strong hitter, and we relied on her to connect with Kelly. Our freshmen Jazymne Bates, Leah Weinrib, and Emily Hehn contributed to the team’s success with hitting, serving, and defense.’’

The 2019 season indeed was a bright light for the Warriors’ program. Anticipation is certainly high for fall 2020.

“We have a strong group of players returning for next year,’’ Crawford said. “They already are demonstrating that they are committed and dedicated to work hard in the off-season by participating in travel volleyball programs.’’