CALEDONIA — Caledonia volleyball was back in action on Monday night.
The Cavaliers wrapped up a 3-0 sweep of Houston in quick fashion, winning the sets 25-5, 25-7 and 25-10 to improve to 6-0 in district play.
Caledonia’s overall record took an early hit with some uncharacteristic losses, and this win saw them improve to 12-16. It was a positive response after a weekend loss to local rivals New Hope, and head coach Samantha Brooks was looking for a positive response after another tough defeat for a proud program.
“It’s been rough because our record isn’t a true reflection of who we are as a team,” Brooks said. “It’s been a bit of a roller coaster this season and I have to keep telling myself that we graduated nine seniors last year and a lot of these girls played behind them.”
Seniors Chloe Zeppos and Ivyaan Taylor stood out at the net, keeping Houston down whenever they were able to answer the powerful Cavalier serves. The quick match was in line with many of Caledonia’s district matchups, but it hasn’t been easy going when playing against stronger opponents. Those games are meant to sharpen the team though, and with playoffs fast approaching Brooks is seeing a response from the team.
“I have to give them the benefit of the doubt, but we’re still a good varsity team,” she said. “I have high expectations and set the bar high for them. As far as playoffs, I feel good about us going into it. We’ve had a few injuries, but they feel good about themselves.”
One of the many perks of the new gymnasium at Caledonia is the extra space for weight training, team meeting rooms, and their own locker rooms, but the court is large enough to get extra reps in for the team as well.
“It’s been amazing,” she said of the new facilities. “My favorite thing, as a coach, is I can run two courts for practice. That has been so beneficial, just giving everyone the space to practice their skills instead of being confined.”
With Brooks, the program has thrived in recent years and part of the reason is the development of the younger players. That focus and attention is important to her as a coach, and even in the middle of a season she is doing her part to keep an eye on the future and getting players the experience they need.
“Some of the younger players have come in and played a big part for us,” Brooks said. “We’re on the way up, it’s just a little bit of a roller coaster ride. I feel like we’re in a good spot and looking at the next few years ahead we have a solid middle school team, JV team, the next few years I think we’ll remain a solid program.”
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