Lady Vikings playing it cool
Carrie Pichler
Lady Viking Madison Foust
Carrie Pichler
Lady Viking Michaela Krahn
Carrie Pichler
Lady Viking Mikaylan Roylance
Carrie Pichler
Charlo volleyball team members include, from left, Costanza Belli, Alyssa Doty, Michaela Krahn, Conner Smith, Aspen Runkel, Mackenzie Foust and Lea Reich.
Carrie Pichler
Lady Viking Aspen Runkel
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With a 9-1 league record and division championships right around the corner, the Lady Vikings are holding their composure and taking it day by day on the volleyball court.
It not only takes talent to produce a successful team, but it also takes leadership, sportsmanship, and chemistry, something Coach Sheryl Kain says each girl has.
While emotions can fly high and tempers flare in competitive sports, these girls are the nicest group you’ll ever meet, according to Kain.
“They all offer each other words of advice with no yelling … They’re almost too nice,” she joked.
Not only are the Lady Vikings uplifting toward each other, they have also adopted a pair of exchange students that have joined their tightly knit volleyball family. Though listed as “C” squad on the program, juniors Costanza Belli from Italy and Lea Reich from Germany have been traveling with the varsity team and participating in senior activities. It’s a great experience for not only the exchange students but also the other girls.
“They are all proving to be leaders,” Kain said. “They really are a great group of girls.”
On Tuesday the Lady Vikings faced Seeley-Swan at home but came up a bit short in the 0-3 game.
With 17 digs, three aces, and four kills, senior Alyssa Doty proved her battle skills. Senior Aspen Runkel also worked it out with three aces, nine kills, and 16 digs.
Saturday brought Arlee’s Scarlets to the Lady Vikings house and though the Scarlets gave them a run, the Lady Vikings pulled out a 3-1 win. With set scores of 25-20, 18-25, 25-16, and 25-22, Charlo proved their fighting drive.
Lady Viking senior Connor Smith led her team from the serve line with six aces. Alyssa Doty came away with 12 kills and an impressive 21 digs, while junior Sienna Brown grabbed 13 kills and 18 digs.
Even though height restrictions can play a role, the Lady Vikings make it work with their tallest coming in at 5 feet, 7 inches.
“We’re kind of short,” Kain said with a laugh, “but they know what they need to do to get it done.”
With State coming up quick, Kain is not ready to talk about it just yet. “Let’s just get through our division first,” she said.
In a division that has taken the State title four of the last five years, Charlo’s Western C conference is the toughest in the state. “You’ve got to be on top of your game,” she said. “We’re an ‘on the edge’ team; we’ll see how it goes.”
Charlo’s next games will be played on the road as the Lady Vikings visit Lincoln Oct. 17 and Noxon Oct. 19.
