Warriors have experience and numbers on their side
Published in the September 7, 2016 edition
ABBIE BADGETT, a senior, returns to the middle this fall season for the WMHS girls’ volleyball team. (Donna Larsson File Photo)
By JIM SOUTHMAYD
WAKEFIELD — The one thing the Wakefield Memorial High girls’ volleyball team doesn’t have to worry about is numbers.
The Warriors had 78 players try out for the team and Head Coach Nicole Trudeau is excited about the season given the turnout and the caliber of athletes in the program.
The volleyball program at WMHS is in its fifth year of existence, the fourth as a varsity program. Wakefield has shown improvement each year, but Trudeau, in her fourth year, is hoping that this will be a breakout year for the Warriors.
Wakefield finished with a 4-16 overall record a year ago and a 1-15 mark in the Middlesex League Freedom division.
“I’m really excited about the season, all the players came in and are better,” said Trudeau. “We’re still working on improving our passing, our serving and receiving. The timing and energy really is great and it shows how much more focused we are. We will work to get better. We’ve been able to do well in the pre-season.”
Wakefield had a play day against Notre Dame Academy and played well against some tougher competition.
“We had 78 kids tryout overall. That really says a lot about our program which is only in its fifth year,” said Trudeau. “The kids have really brought a fire to the program. In the past we had good athletes and I would like for coachable players. Now they are good volleyball players as well as coachable athletes.”
The Warriors have players with volleyball experience at all levels including the JV and freshman teams as well. Depth certainly will not be a problem for the Warriors should Trudeau need someone off the bench or call up a player from the JV or freshman teams.
“Not only are we expecting to have a great year but the foundation is there for several years to come,” said Trudeau. “We have nine returning seniors. This is the year we have been waiting for. The kids have been playing for a long time and the expectations are high. The seniors and juniors will have the sophomores and freshmen to push them. There will be cooperation and competition.”
Wakefield will have to replace graduated seniors Mackenzie Molloy, Erin Murphy, Maddie Shea, Sarrah Chouiakh, Jessica Barbera and Elizabeth Germino.
The Warriors will be led by outside hitters Emma Butler and Nicole Roberto. Both are seniors.
Abbie Badgett, a senior, returns to the middle along with senior Mackenzie Story.
The setters will be Ally Coggswell and Julia Purcell. They are both juniors.
“They have stepped up and improved their sports IQ,” said Trudeau. “We are still trying to make improvements. We have shifted from skill development to more strategy on the whys and hows of the game. We used to have to show people how to play volleyball. Now they already know.”
The Warriors are home for their first match as they host Lexington tonight at 5:15 p.m. in a crossover contest against a team from the M.L. Liberty division. On Friday, Wakefield hosts Reading at 5:15 p.m. in another crossover match. Both contests are at the Charbonneau Field House.
“It’s much better to have them in our house,” said Trudeau. “We want to win our first match and not get hung up on our mistakes. We would like to break through and beat some teams we haven’t beat before. Beating Reading and Lexington would be huge. We can beat every team if we believe in ourselves.”
(Sports Correspondent Dan Byrne contributed to this report).
