Trevor Phipps
The Woodland Park High School Volleyball team encountered a rocky start this year, but they really turned the net situation around during the middle of the season.
After losing their first three matches the Lady Panthers rebounded for a long winning streak.
However, last Tuesday the team ended their 13-game winning streak when they fell in five matches to Lamar, who is undefeated for the season. The girls won again last Thursday against Atlas Preparatory School by winning three matches.
Currently, the ladies have a 14-4 overall record and a 9-1 league record. At the end of last week, they were in third place in their 2A/3A/4A Tri-Peaks league, but they were still in line to earn a spot in the postseason.
Earlier this season, the team’s coach, Stacy Roshek, was celebrated by her players for earning her 200th win as a high school volleyball head coach. Roshek started coaching the team in 2016.
According to the coach, the team has several star players on their roster this year. She said that senior Sydney Roshek, who has been the team’s libero for several years, has switched to playing as outside hitter.
Roshek currently leads the team in kills as well as aces and digs. The coach said Roshek has been impressive since it is her first year playing as a hitter.
Senior Kyra Kidd, who has been the team’s middle blocker and hitter, has also been a key on the team during the season. “She has a lot of power and she has done a really good job of blocking for us,” Coach Roshek said. “She leads the team in hitting percentage. She is a strong leader on the court as well as Sydney.”
The coach said that senior Kayla Stimits has also been another strong player, and she is the team’s third captain. “Kayla has just stepped up this year and has really been good on the courts with her hustle and determination,” Roshek said. “All of the seniors just want to win and have a great end of their high school career.”
She also said that senior Giana Roskam has done a great job playing center for the team. “She is doing a great job stepping up and getting the ball to the hitters and making sure it is where it needs to be,” Roshek said.
The team’s coach said that the team’s success can be attributed to the fact that some of the team’s members have been playing in club teams together since they were in fifth grade. “They are a competitive group of girls that really want to win,” Roshek said. “They have a good chemistry; they are not selfish players. They all work well together and they want to be successful as a team so they do what it takes to get the job done.”
The coach said that the team is currently working improving serving across the board, so that can get better for the postseason. She said that they need to improve their consistency when it comes to serving and keeping the fast tempo of the game.
The girls continue regular season play this Tuesday with a home match against James Irwin, and then they play a tournament this weekend. The team then will play in regionals and hopefully make it to the state championship in November.
