RHS Volleyball: Happy with 3-0 Start, Sees Room for Improvement

The most consistent thing about the Rosemount volleyball team three matches into the season has been its inconsistency.

Yet, the Irish are 3-0 heading into Tuesday’s conference opener with perennial power Apple Valley. The home match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“We’re not yet playing where we need to play on a regular basis. We’ve had trouble covering hitters and transitioning to our base, doing some of the little things that will carry you in very close matches,” said coach Smokey Vitek. “[Apple Valley] will be our first big test. We almost beat them last year.”

While agreeing with their coach regarding consistency, seniors Natalie Busher and Jaclyn D’Amico are nonetheless excited about the team’s fast start.

“We always knew we had the potential to do this,” Busher said.

D’Amico noted there were more two-a-day practices before the school year began, and that it has paid off. “We’ve inserted more conditioning into our practices, and we’ve learned to better play with everyone, creating a big team bond," she said.

The Irish needed five games to beat a good Faribault team in the season opener, swept Farmington in three games and then fell behind New Prague 2-1 last Tuesday before winning the final two sets.

“That match was very typical of what we’re doing where we just start to slack off and make mistakes and then we get nervous, and then we kind of fall behind a little bit,” Vitek said. “Other than that, things are going pretty well. The girls are working very hard and focused on improving. It’s a matter of are we disciplined enough to take our game to the next level.”

What Vitek liked was the Irish stepping up their level of play in games four and five, wanting to win rather than hoping not to lose. “That kind of attitude is real important going into conference play,” she said. Four South Suburban Conference teams (Bloomington Jefferson, Lakeville North, Lakeville South and Eagan) are ranked in the latest top-10 poll. Burnsville and Apple Valley also received votes.

“It’s shown us the drive needed to push through in the end when we really need to finish,” D’Amico said. “For any team, the sky’s the limit. It just depends on how much effort and how much drive and passion you have to win.”

“We can’t get too comfortable where we are because the games are only going to get harder for us,” Busher added.

Vitek said that’s not a problem for the senior duo.

“They realize the type of intensity needed to be effective at the varsity level. They have that intensity not only during matches, but practices. They’ve worked hard to kind of refine their game so they can deliver intensive play each and every time they’re on the court.”

Busher is averaging nearly 16 kills per match (3.6 per game), and had 23 in the Faribault win. D’Amico averages 2.7 kills per game and nearly 12 per match. She had 20 kills against Faribault. Yet neither will solely take accolades for their results.

“To get kills your defense has to be playing well; you can’t just get all the glory,” Busher said.

Both quickly note that defensive specialist Nicole Valentini is good at communicating on the court and setter Mikaela Sullivan has such strong court awareness on both sides of the net that she sets up easy kills.

Katie Duff and Megan Jacobs are also averaging better than 1.6 kills per game.

“It’s been pretty equal throughout the games,” D’Amico said. “Sully is doing a good job spreading it out and everybody is doing good hitting and finding spots on the court.”

Sullivan is averaging 8.5 assists per game.

“She’s been the most consistent of our three very good setters,” Vitek said. “She settles the game down on our side of the court and she’s making really smart choices on who she is setting, not only on who’s hitting well but also what’s going on on the other side of the net.”

After the Apple Valley match, the Irish are at Bloomington Jefferson Thursday and play in the Farmington Tournament Saturday.