Longtime rivals and two of the top squads in the LIS last year, the Covenant and St. Anne’s-Belfield volleyball teams got their first looks at each other on Wednesday evening. In the first of two showdowns this year, the Eagles got the early edge winning 3-1 (25-18, 25-11, 17-25, 25-20).
The young Covenant squad got out to an early start behind the solid setting of Emily Smethurst and the hitting of Alex Howerton and Sally Cathcart. The Eagles edged the Saints out in a back and forth first game. Covenant then put St. Anne’s on the ropes by running away with game two.
In the third game St. Anne’s was able to limit their mistakes, and in the process staved off elimination. However, Covenant was able finish the job in game four, once again behind the strong hitting of Cathcart and Howerton.
“We’re a young team right now playing on instincts,” said Covenant coach Don Gresham. “So we’re making some young mistakes. That’s what that third game was about. You start playing not to lose instead of playing to win. Sure enough, what happens? You lose. So we just needed them to relax a little bit and get back to the things they were doing earlier.”
Cathcart, a sophomore, led all players with her 18 kills while also chipping in 19 digs. Howerton, a junior, also did some heavy lifting with 16 kills and 10 digs. Smethurst, also a junior, contributed a game high 39 assists.
Leading the way for St. Anne’s was Trent Holden, Cephra Stuart and Andrea Baelow. Holden led the team in kills with seven. Stuart put up 18 assists and Baelow paced the defense with 27 digs.
Both Covenant and STAB are currently in the midst of dramatic makeovers. The Eagles are doing without long time leader Ellen Smethurst who consistently led the team in kills and blocks.
“We’ve all had to step up in our respective ways,” said Emily Smethurst. “We’re still real young and a little inexperienced, so helping other girls along has a been a little challenging. But I think we’re playing pretty well.”
Covenant has just one senior on its roster in defensive specialist Sophie Kim.
With just four returning starters who saw limited playing time last year, STAB coach Stacey Gearheart is simply looking for her team to become a comfortable on the court.
“We’re a little scared right now,” Gearheart said. “We’re a little timid. When we get playing we’re a really good team and that’s what happened in game three. We cut down on the unforced errors.”
Like Covenant with Ellen Smethurst, St. Anne’s is trying to replace long time stalwarts Shelby Linthicum and Lady Smith.
“(Both Linthicum and Smith) had that confidence, that calmness that we’re looking for,” Gearheart said. “We still need to find that. Yea, we miss their physical abilities, but we also miss that presence.”
Covenant (3-4) hosts Tandem today at 4:30 p.m. St. Anne’s (1-2) hosts St. Catherine’s today at 5 p.m.
