GROWING PAINS: BHS spikers have short hit parade
Sometimes slogging through a rebuilding season is like the vexation of squirming in a dentist’s chair.
You’re trapped and there’s nothing to do but take a deep breath, grit your healthy teeth and let it happen.
That’s kind of scenario — kind of — for this year’s Bartlesville High School volleyball team, with a few exceptions.
First, the Lady Bruins have a couple of major strengths in the attacking phase — and their names are Emry and Kelsey. Second, the Lady Bruins, as a whole, will continue to get better throughout the year.
And, third, Bartlesville is enduring through this season as part of a metamorphosis of what could be an awfully competitive team in 2023 and beyond.
Meanwhile, the players and fans just have to endure.
Bartlesville finished 0-2 this past week, with losses at Jenks, 25-21, 25-19, 25-15, on Tuesday, and at Enid, 25-14, 25-23, 25-22, on Thursday.
“We were very against Jenks,” said Bartlesville head coach Jen Ward. “Ultimately, they (Jenks) could kill at any position. … I was frustrated tonight (at Enid). We just didn’t bring our best stuff.”
Bartlesville’s biggest shortcoming has been the failure of the right-side hitters to consistently contribute kills, Ward said, adding the absence of Claire Walker on Thursday hurt Bartlesville’s chances.
So far, outside hitters Emry Brown and Kelsey Ward have provided the lion’s share of the Lady Bruins’ front row production.
On Thursday, Brown battered 12 kills, followed by Ward with nine. Ward also served three aces.
“We also had very good back row play by Reid Foust and Kate Johnson,” she added.
Otherwise, “we just really struggled defensively, specifically blocking,” Ward said.
Brown had hammered 10 kills against Jenks, followed by Ward with seven.
“We just can’t rely on two kids to get all the kills is the bottom line,” coach Ward said. “We’ve got to be picking up kills somewhere else. … We knew we’d be rebuilding this year.”
Several sophomores are playing to gain experience, the coach said, adding sophomore Emma Parsley played in the setting rotation on Thursday.
Coach Ward said she’s not worried too much about losing right now as long as the team competes well.
She believes Bartlesville can be very competitive Tuesday at Glenpool.
Bartlesville’s next scheduled home game is Sept. 13.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Bartlesville loses in competitive effort in Enid, 0-2 for week
