Week 1 Winner: Stillwater Girls Volleyball

The Stillwater girls volleyball team is our Week 1 Oklahoma Team of the Week honoree.
Courtesy photo
After a bitter
way to start the season, the girls volleyball team at
Stillwater
(Okla.) rebounded in a resounding way, earning it the initial
2013-14 MaxPreps Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma
National Guard.
Stillwater, which went 23-13 under
coach Jason Webber last season, opened 2013 with a tough five-set road
loss to Oklahoma Bible (Enid) 25-17, 21-25, 23-25, 27-25, 15-12.
Seniors
Morgan
Wheatley and
Maggie
Ireton combined for 18 kills, Ireton and freshman
Katie
Ray combined for 36 assists and senior
Carley
Geer had 26 digs.
"It could have been
early season jitters, but I attribute some of the loss to not having my
sophomores in play ..." said Webber. "The girls struggled to stay united
and we fell apart."
The Pioneers came back two days
later, also on the road, and weren't going to be denied again, this time
recording a sweep over Broken Arrow 25-23, 27-25,
25-17.
Wheatley, a 5-8 middle blocker, and
Sarah
Carpenter, a 5-8 senior outside hitter, each had nine kills
to pace the Pioneers. Sophomore
Carley
Walstad served for 10 points and had 31 assists, while Geer
contributed 15 digs.
Geer and Carpenter also did a
superb job passing with a combined 32 returns.
"My
seniors are excellent," said Webber. "They know their role is so much
more than leading. It is a role of patience and teaching as
well."
In the ultimate bounce-back performance on
Saturday, Stillwater defeated the same team that it had lost to just
days earlier when it took down Oklahoma Bible 25-20, 25-18, 22-25, 25-11
in the Union Tournament.
"With a great group of
juniors, sophomores and freshmen listening, it helps to bond the team
and expedite growth," said Webber.
Stillwater
continues nonleague play this week with a match at Bishop
Kelley.
Do you know a
team that deserves consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us
with your nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.