Fort Frye’s Kianna O’Brien (14) dunks the ball as Waterford’s Ella Schweikert (13) gets into position during a high school volleyball match Monday in Beverly. Fort Frye won 3-0. (Photo by Jordan Holland)
BEVERLY – Fort Frye isn’t at full strength right now, missing one of its key players in Makenna Long due to injury.
However, the Cadets still have several talented players from last year’s regional tournament and are starting to come together as a team.
Monday night’s game against rival Waterford was a glimpse of what Fort Frye is capable of when the team is really clicking. The Cadets (5-3) won in three sets by scores of 25-5, 25-16 and 25-6.
“I think we can play even better than that,” Fort Frye head coach Emily Tracewell said. “We’re missing one of our players who usually starts, Makenna Long. It’s been a little difficult trying to put the pieces together without her. Hopefully she can come back at some point. I’m definitely very proud of the progress we’ve made so far and how we played this game.”
Long is a very important player for the Cadets, but her sister Madyson has stepped up early this season. Against the Wildcats, she had 13 kills, eight digs and four aces to help propel Fort Frye to victory. Kianna O’Brien had a big game against Waterford with a match-high 16 kills, while Jenna White added seven kills and Paige Morganstern had five.
“Mady is definitely the consistency we need in the front row,” Tracewell said. “The others are doing a really good job so our setters can move the ball. (Mady) is definitely a good person to have there to do the job for us.
Three kills from O’Brien helped Fort Frye jump out to a 4-0 lead in the first set. White’s familiar layoffs and a Long block stretched the lead to 13-3, and it continued to grow from there as Waterford couldn’t stop the Cadets’ momentum.
“As long as we play consistent and do our job, we’re going to do it no matter who it is.” Tracewell said.
The Wildcats, who fell to 4-4 this season, responded nicely early in the second set as a pair of kills by Avery Wagner gave them their first lead of the night at 3-2. Later, an ace by Wagner and a kill by Kendall Sury put Waterford up 8-6. After Fort Frye tied it, Mackenzie Pottmeyer’s ace put the ‘Cats back in front at 9-8. Waterford pushed the lead back to two, 12-10, thanks to back-to-back kills by Wagner, but Fort Frye scored 10 of the next 11 points to take a 20-13 lead and prompt a pair of timeouts from the Waterford head coach. Kim Barker. Long capped the game with back-to-back blocks to put the Cadets up two games.
The third set was never close as Fort Frye took the first 11 points and cruised to the win.
FFHS setters Kasey Lang and Camryn Huck had 17 and 14 assists, respectively. Jaslynn Casto recorded seven digs. The Cadets travel to Williamstown on Thursday for a three-way match against the Yellowjackets and Philip Barbour.
Tracewell sees a lot of potential in this group and believes the ability is there to make a return trip to the Sweet 16.
“As long as we work together and everybody does their job, I think we can get back there.” she said “(The key is) consistency with our setters and as long as our serve and our serve is strong, we should be able to play the way we can play.”
Waterford was paced by Wagner’s eight kills and five blocks. Pottmeyer had eight kills, while Kendyl Johnson had six assists.
