Florence's Natalia Consumi sets the ball for a teammate Saturday, while Aviano players Tih Cottingham and Jazmine Bell watch, during a match at Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Florence's Natalia Consumi sets the ball for a teammate Saturday, while Aviano players Tih Cottingham and Jazmine Bell watch, during a match at Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano's Viyanni Johnson sets the ball Saturday, during a volleyball match against Florence at Vicenza, Italy. The Wild Boars swept the Saints, 25-20, 25-18, 25-23. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Florence's Emma Nataloni goes up for a block Saturday as Aviano's Jazmine Bell stops the ball from going out of bounds during a match at Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza's Brianna Baker spikes the ball for a point Saturday, during a match against Aviano at Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Vicenza junior Adrianna Lovelace spikes the ball past Aviano's Macie Dunn on Saturday during a match at Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
Aviano's Myja Binns digs deep for a ball hit by a Vicenza player Saturday during a match in Vicenza, Italy. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
The Vicenza Cougars celebrate after sweeping Aviano on Saturday at Vicenza, Italy. The Cougars won 25-9, 25-10, 25-12. (Jason Duhr/Stars and Stripes)
VICENZA, Italy – The Vicenza Cougars’ girls volleyball team reigned supreme on the court this weekend, as they swept Italian rivals Aviano and Florence.
Vicenza head coach John Kohut wanted a little more from his players after their 25-9, 25-17, 25-20 and 25-9, 25-10, 25-12 wins over the Wild Boars and Saints, respectively.
“Of course I expect more,” Kohut said. “But I think they came out strong and in control.”
Only three of the 13 girls on the roster didn’t play for the Cougars a year ago. And two of those are taller than 6 feet.
Junior Adrianna Lovelace and Jordan Wakefield brought the Cougars to new heights, as each left an impression on the Saints in the form of a well-placed serve or intense spike.
A first-year high school volleyball player, Lovelace pulled out four aces and three kills, while managing to complete two blocks-for-points against Saints’ Jazmine Bell and Viyanni Johnson.
While veterans Bell, Johnson, Macie Dunn and Jaida Tindal made the Cougars earn their points, the rest of the Saints are relatively new and still trying to work out the kinks.
“I think right now if we work on communication, we’ll see a big improvement,” Aviano coach Jennifer Hanretty said.
The Saints did well on something that doesn’t take as much communication: serving.
“I’m really proud of our serves,” Hanretty said. “All of them have been really consistent.”
Kohut, a 35-year volleyball coaching veteran, was fortunate to retain many of his top performers from last year and the experience showed.
Longtime setter Emma Knapp served up 10 aces and assisted teammates putting points on the board 23 times. But it might be her role during practice that helps the Cougars stay ahead. Kohut said pairing players such as Knapp with new players like Lovelace during the first week of practices paid off.
“We do a lot of teamwork training and technique training,” Kohut said. “I make all returners pick a new player within the first week of practice to train with.”
Florence sweeps AvianoWith only three practices before Friday night’s loss to Vicenza – Florence coach Roberto Clausi was confident heading into the team’s matchup against the Saints. He apparently had reason to be. The Wild Boars won 25-20, 25-18, 25-23.
“We don’t get much time to practice,” Clausi said of not having a gym at the school. “And last night was like a practice session for us.”
The Wild Boars played three close sets, almost giving up the third one, with a few balls landing close to the boundary lines. “The more we play, the better we get,” Clausi said.
Aviano had a tough time containing Wild Boars captain Emma Nataloni, who has held that position all four years she’s played at Florence.
“Where ever you place her, you know she’ll perform,” Clausi said. “She’s somebody you can count on through the whole season.”
