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NTL VOLLEYBALL: WYALUSING LOOKING TO BUILD OFF LAST SEASON'S DISTRICT TITLE RUN (2022-08-25)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
The Wyalusing volleyball team has a lot going well for them early this season. They’re coming off a district title winning run in 2021, and they boast a deep bench that features nine seniors.

For those seniors, though, it feels a little surreal.


“It’s exciting to know that I’ve made it this far,” said setter Emilie Otis. “I feel like I was just a freshman with the big seniors just yesterday.”


Those nine already have a district title under their belt, ending NP-Liberty’s dominance over District IV.


“Looking back, I feel like we’ve done a lot here,” said libero Priscilla Newton. “We’ve accomplished a lot.”


The first order of business is carrying over their success from late last season, that saw them beat NTL powers Williamson and NPL in back to back playoff games.


“We want to keep our spirits up,” Newton remarked. “We are the defending district champions, but that’s not going to get in our heads. We’re not going to let it weigh down on us, we’re just going to keep working hard, and just trying to be even better than last year.”


Newton led the league with 368 digs a year ago, while they also return London Edwards, who had 220 digs. Otis led the team with 384 assists, to go with 140 digs.


Edwards led the team with 63 assists, while Otis finished second with 43.


Up front Hannah Ely led the team with 104 kills, despite missing time due to injury.


And that brings up another situation they don’t want to be in, fighting the injury bug. It decimated them during the regular season, but they were able to get healthy enough to make a run in the postseason.


“We’re definitely stretching a lot more,” said Otis. “We’re cautious on our self-management.”


Up front, especially, as they lost their second and third most kill getters. 


“It’s hard losing those seniors because they were such a big part of our success,” said Otis. “But we’ve been playing since we were 10 years old, so it feels like we haven’t missed a beat.”


One thing that came out of those injuries was that younger players got a lot of experience.


“We still have a lot of depth from the younger crew that we’re bringing up,” Newton remarked. “I am feeling that they will step up into some positions that we might need.”


One younger player they’re hoping to step up is Kylie Pickett.


“I think she can really fill that right side defense role, because we’ll still be running the six-one,” Newton said.


The good health this year also brings expectations, something they didn’t really have to deal with a year ago. They aren’t upstarts anymore, and teams will be giving them their best whenever they’re on the same court.


“Knowing we might have a target on our back is definitely part of the preparation,” said Newton. “Last year we were just kind of like ‘whatever happens, happens’, we’re going to work hard. We’re still going to work hard, but this time, we know we might have a little bit of a target on us.”


They’d also like to compete for the NTL Small School title, but with Class A semifinalists in their division Canton, it won’t be easy.


“We’re hoping to compete with them,” Otis said. “Usually we get in our heads, and Canton’s a good team. They compete really well against us, so we’re just hoping to up that level this year.”


Otis believes their team chemistry is what will set them apart from the rest of the league.


“I have really good chemistry with my team,” she said. “I’ve been friends with all of them, and I know exactly where they want the set to be, so it’s been good.”


As for Newton, she has over 750 digs in her career, so she knows what it’s like to face some of the top hitters in the league.


“I recently switched to the Nightmare Club team, so I’ve played with most of the big hitters, and I’m playing against bigger hitters from big tournament,” she explained. “I’m definitely prepared, and, especially, the past four years, facing some of those has definitely prepared me for this.”


ROSTER

Hannah Ely

Emilee Otis

Priscilla Newton

London Edwards

Sarah Watkins

Olivia Carr

McKenna Mapes

Anna Kipp

Olivia Leichliter

Clare Allen

Trinity Watkins

Anna Brigs

Danielle Wilson

Rachel Wilson

Halie Nolan

Kylie Pickett


SCHEDULE

Aug. 27 - Mountain View at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 30 - Wyalusing at Williamson, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 1 - Wyalusing at Troy, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 6 - Towanda at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 8 - Wyalusing at Williamsport, 7 p.m.

Sep. 10 - Blue Ridge, Greater Nanticoke at Wyalusing, 10 a.m.

Sep. 12 - Canton at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 17 - Wyalusing at Tunkhannock Tournament

Sep. 20 - Wyalusing at Sayre, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 22 - Athens at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Sep. 27 - NPL at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 4 - Wyalusing at NEB, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 6 - Wyalusing at CV, 7 p.m.

Oct. 8 - NEB, Loyalsock at Wyalusing, 10 a.m.

Oct. 11 - Williamson at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 13 - CV at Wyalusing, 7 p.m.

Oct. 18 - Wyalusing at Canton, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 20 - Sayre at Wyalusing, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 24 - Wyalusing at Wellsboro, 7:30 p.m.




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