Elgin girls volleyball is this week's Oklahoma Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.
Courtesy photo
Sometimes
victories are greater against oneself, than one's opponent.
That might have been the case for the
Elgin girls volleyball team, which recorded two sweeps last
week to extend its win streak to 10 matches and improve its record to
19-5 on the season.
Coming off a championships in
the Chickasha Tournament, the Owls, the defending state 4A champions,
could have rested on their collective laurels, but instead swept past
Eisenhower 27-25, 25-14, 25-11 and Cache 25-23, 25-14, 25-21.
For their mental toughness, tournament championship
and early-season success, Elgin has been selected the MaxPreps Oklahoma
Team of the Week presented by the Oklahoma National Guard.
Jentry Holt, a 6-foot-3 junior middle hitter and setter, led the way
in the win over Eisenhower with 19 kills.
Senior
Samantha Grubb and junior
Kaitlyn Holmgren led the Owls with 13 and 10 digs, respectively, and
Holmgren added 16 assists.
Sophomore
Heather Wander and senior
Makenli Ladd combined for 23 serve receives. Holmgren added six of
her team's 14 aces.
After a tough 13-25, 26-24, 15-8
comeback win over Deer Creek in pool play, the Owls defeated the same
scrappy squad in the finals of the Chickasha Tournament the week before,
25-23, 25-13.
Holt led the way in the championship
match with 10 kills, while Holmgren had 12 digs, nine assists and two
aces.
Holt is the state leader in hitting percentage
at .402 and ranks second in kills with 222, just back of Lincoln
Christian's Serena Mar (227).
"(Holt) is the perfect
representation of leadership, responsibility, and natural talent," said
first-year coach Brittain Walbrick. "Jentry
stays focused by building her team up and staying positive. She does
an awesome job of holding herself accountable and being a team leader.
To the team Jentry means the world. Not only is she a wonderful
talent
to have on the team, but she is everyone's best friend. We have a very
close, tight group of girls that all respect, honor, and love one
another."
Holmgren is seventh in the state in kills
(173) and Grubb is 11th (142). Holmgren also ranks among the state
leaders in assists per game (3.8, 241 overall), digs (176, 14th) and
aces (89, third). Grubb is eighth in digs (231).
Walbrick took over a team that went 32-0 last season
and won the Class 4A state title.
"I tell the girls,
even though we won the state championship last year,
we have to stay focused on this year's goal and obstacles,"
said Walbrick. "Each season
presents new players and new struggles that each team must overcome in
order to successful.
The Owls travel to Cement on
Tuesday (Sept. 17) and to Mount St. Mary on Monday (Sept. 23), before
hosting Corn Bible Academy on Sept. 24.
Do you know a team that deserves
consideration for Oklahoma Team of the Week? Email us with your
nominations at OKteamoftheweek@maxpreps.com.
