By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Veteran Washburn Rural volleyball coach Kevin Bordewick knew that the defending Class 6A champions, who graduated an ultra-talented senior class, were going to face growing pains in the early going this fall, particularly with senior standout Zoe Canfield still sidelined with an injury.
And that has proven to be the case, with the Junior Blues off to a 1-2 start on the year after home losses Tuesday night to Shawnee Mission East and perennial state contender St. James Academy.
Washburn Rural senior standout Jada Ingram spikes the ball during Tuesday's home triangular. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But Bordewick, who has coached Rural to eight state championships, said the Junior Blues' longtime goals won't change and that it's up to Rural as a team to take the steps it needs to take to right the ship..
"This is a group where we have a lot of new parts,'' Bordewick said. "Even the parts that were back from last year, Zoe can't play yet and Jada (Ingram) is in a different position, and as good as she is, she stil has to learn how to play that position.
"But it's on us. We still need to pass, we still need to set and we're not doing those things very well, but we had spurts. We knew it was probably going to be a learning process and it's a day to day thing. We'll just have to get better.''
Washburn Rural's volleyball team celebrates a point during Tuesday's home triangular. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Layla Collins delivers a kill Tuesday night at Rural. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
After opening the season with a win over Blue Valley Northwest, Rural opened Tuesday night with a tough 24-26, 25-19, 21-25 loss to SM East before St. James capped a 2-0 night with a 25-21, 25-15 win over the Junior Blues in the final match.
Washburn Rural led 23-22 late in the opening set against East and there was a tie at 24 before the Lancers scored two straight points to pull out the win.
Rural jumped out 9-4, 16-8 and 20-11 in the second set before closing out the six-point win to force the third set.
The Junior Blues rallied from an early deficit in the third set to forge ties at 18 and 19 but East scored three straight point to go up 22-19 and was able to hold off the Junior Blues down the stretch.
Washburn Rural led 17-15 in the first set against St. James but the Thunder used an 8-0 run to take control at 23-17 en route to a 25-21 win before rolling to a 25-15 decision in the second set.
"I really liked our first set against St. James,'' Bordewick said. "I thought we were in tune with each other and had some excitement and some energy.''.
The Junior Blues will be back at home Thursday to host Gardner-Edgerton in a 5 p.m. dual.
