Seniors leading youthful West Lafayette volleyball
WEST LAFAYETTE - Last year's team was a well-oiled machine from the start.
West Lafayette's volleyball roster was loaded with experience, had a go-to hitter who was nearly unblockable and ultimately coasted through a season, going 28-3 and winning a sectional championship.
This team is not that team. Not yet anyway.
That team graduated four seniors. Another, sophomore Taylor Woods, is currently sidelined after having knee issues.
"We're working every day. We're good and have a lot of potential," senior middle hitter Annie Karlaftis said. "The freshmen are going to learn a lot and we're going to help them. We're working on continuing to get better every day."
That's not to say West Lafayette can't still be successful.
On Tuesday night, the Red Devils swept Lafayette Jeff 25-23, 25-10, 25-18 at Berberian Gymnasium to run their record to 6-0, dropping just one set in the process.
"We're just trying to find the right fit, the right combination, trying people at different places to see what is going to be best down the road," West Lafayette coach Shari Bittles said. "They are really shining, but we have to work on it one day at a time. Ups and downs and learn from it. When we get into sectionals, that's when we want to make it count."
To get here, West Side, a team playing six combined freshmen and sophomores, has leaned heavily on its seniors.
That trio includes four-year starters Rachel Williams and Karlaftis along with Shree Saravanan. Aside from those three, junior libero Brinley Melchi is the only returning player with varsity experience, pending Woods returning at some point.
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"We had to take ourselves back," Karlaftis said. "Rachel and I had a lot of deep conversations about the freshmen because we care about this team. We had to take ourselves back to our freshman year and how did we feel and put ourselves in their shoes."
Williams leads the Red Devils in kills and aces. Saravanan leads the team in blocks and Melchi is the team's top passer.
But a freshman duo has brought the connection formed in the past to the high school level. Setter Addie Gehres leads the team in assists and Audrey Alexander ranks near the top in kills. Fellow freshman Kynlee Dunbar has been a reliable back row player and server for the Red Devils during their unbeaten start.
The schedule will get tougher, and West Lafayette's undefeated start hasn't come without some rocky moments.
But, as Bittles reminded her team, Rome wasn't built in a day, but it was being built every day.
Come postseason, the Red Devils expect to be right back in the mix for a sectional title.
"We were used to playing super fast, but it has gotten a lot better since the beginning of the season," Saravanan said. "We all really developed as players.
"It's not really about winning now. It is about what is ahead. That is the end goal, sectionals, regionals. That is what we are working towards. This is all our journey to getting there."
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Seniors leading youthful West Lafayette volleyball
