By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The West Salem Volleyball team are hoping that their early season adversity will mean success later on in the season.
Their trip to Nevada to start the season in August showed the senior-heavy squad where they’re at and how they can take that next step offensively and defensively points Titan Head Coach Scott Coons.
“Playing in thar out-of-state tournament at the beginning of the year was awesome, i felt it helped us get ready for season,” starts Coons. “We got two really big opponents in league, Sprague and South are so tough. We got stuff that we have to do to get ourselves better. Hone in on some defensive things and a few offensive things that we need to do better and I think we can compete well with them. I think our season looks good.”
West Salem hosted the West Salem Tournament on Saturday. The Titans set the tone for bracket play with a 3-0 pool play morning with sweeps of Roosevelt, Lakeridge and Canby. West Salem swept 5A powerhouse Crater in the tournament semifinals to reach the tournament finals. The Titans edge the Comets by one point for the top-seed in bracket play in the point differential category coming out of bracket play.
West Salem faced the Pacers of Lakeridge again in the finals, and after seeing thw first set going into extras, with the Titans winning 27-25, the Titans complete the two-set sweep of Lakeridge 27-25, 25-19 for the Tournament Championship.
Not bad for a squad who had to switch from a 6-2 formation into a 5-1 formation in the tournament due to injury.
“We just had an injury, so we were running a 6-2 and we have to move to a 5-1, so it’s something that we haven’t practiced a lot. So now we have to step into the role and see how that’s going to affect the team and sure up those area’s where we haven’t practiced,” said Coons. “But with all that being said, I think we’re on a good track to perform well and end up in a good spot for the end of the season tournament, the State Tournament. I think we can be in that Top 15, which will give us a good seeding.”
West Salem will start the second loop through Central Valley Conference, where they’re 2-2 in currently, on Tuesday at North Salem High School.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
