BY WENDI REARDON PRICE
Clarkston News Sports Writer
The Clarkston Varsity Volleyball team is off to a winning start against opponents but the team is happy to be playing.
“We are excited,” said Clarkston Varsity Volleyball Head Coach Kelly Pinner as the team prepared for their first league game. “We are just excited to be in the gym. The excitement level in the gym is nothing I have ever seen before. They are just overjoyed they get to do something they love.”
The Wolves posted their first win in the OAA Red league with a 3-0 victory over Seaholm last Thursday, 25-20, 25-15, 25-17.
“Seaholm has a couple of really good outside hitters that gave us some trouble,” said Pinner. “It was an interesting match, too, because there were no spectators. It just offered a challenge to both teams. I told our girls we have to be our biggest fans right now because we are the only ones in the gym. It’s different and interesting.”
Junior Summer Jidas had three aces and nine digs. Senior Claire Nowicki had 11 kills and ten digs, and senior Sydney Hasenfratz had four blocks and five kills.
The Wolves posted three more wins during a quad at West Bloomfield. They went 2-0 against West Bloomfield, 25-18 and 25-15, and 2-0 against Flushing, 25-10, 25-17. They went 2-1 against Oxford, with a 25-21 and 25-16, 15-10 wins.
Jidas had six aces and 23 digs. Nowicki had 32 kills and 16 digs. Senior Madison McGraw had nine kills and five blocks.
“Those three played really well for us,” said Pinner. “We are still figuring things out. It’s still early in the season. Starting out the season 7-0 definitely builds some confidence for the girls.”
The team opened the week against West Bloomfield.
“They are a challenging team for us because they have a setter who is a pretty good offensive weapon,” Pinner said. She hurt us a little bit last week.”
The Wolves (7-0, 1-0 OAA Red) head to Stoney Creek on Thursday and host Lake Orion on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
“Every team in the OAA plays up,” Pinner said. “We and Orion always have a target on our back and everyone gets fired up to beat us. Stoney has been playing great volleyball the last couple years. They are going to be a pretty tough opponent this week as well.”

  Clarkston Athletics, Volleyball