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Showcase Showdown: Allen splits at Westwood tourney
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@acnpapers.com
The Allen volleyball team's trip to the Westwood Showcase over the weekend had all the hallmarks of a season-opening tournament.
There was team bonding, inconsistent play, unfamiliar foes and a variety of lineups.
"There were some ups and downs," said Kelley Gregoriew, Allen head coach. "We weren't on our game in each match, but I thought we played really well at times and our defense was pretty scrappy.
That equated a 4-4 record over the three-day event with Allen picking up wins against Vista Ridge, PF Connaly, Bryan and Hendrickson (all of which were sweeps) while losing matches to New Braunfels, Pflugerville, Cedar Park and Smithson Valley. The latter two losses were particularly frustrating for the Lady Eagles as they took the first set in both of them.
"Yeah, that can be kind of discouraging," Gregoriew said. "But it really shows the girls that when we have a lead we can't just coast; being ahead doesn't mean the match is over."
The beginning of the season can be a time to try new lineup combinations, but Allen did that over the weekend more out of necessity than choice.
The Lady Eagles have six returners (seniors Steffi Loe, Ashley Hooper, Erika Fisher, Kristen Newton, Tyler Southern and Tori Bates), but are still missing Southern and Newton due to injuries.
"We've had to do some adaptation because of that," Gregoriew said.
At the Westwood Showcase, Allen shuffled its lineup by shifting Hooper from the outside to the middle and moving Loe from the middle to the right side. Helping with those transitions has been a solid sophomore class comprised of Hannah Walsh, Hannah Fry, Katie Ingle and Camryn Freiberg.
"Our sophomores have been doing a really good job so far," Gregoriew said.
Ingle has teamed with junior Kim Bell to take over the setting duties in Newton's absence. The new blood can also be found on the front line with juniors Kate Klepetka, Kelly Holden and senior Olivia Kleyer lining up on the outside and right side.
"We've been trying a lot of different lineups to see what's most productive," Gregoriew said.
Allen's attempts to improve haven't been strictly on-court though as the trip to Round Rock allowed the Lady Eagles to work on getting closer off the court.
"Each year before that first trip we ask every girl to tell us two people on the team they'd like to get to know better," Gregoriew said. "We try to put them together based on that and I think that has really helped the bonding process."
That process will continue significantly closer to home this weekend as Allen hosts the Texas Open on Friday and Saturday.
The 32-team field (which is split up at Allen, Ereckson Middle School and Lowery Freshman Center) will be tough again this year with Duncanville Tournament of Champions winner Southlake Carroll, defending Class 5A State Champion Hebron and defending Class 3A State Champion Lovejoy among those entered.
"We always have a tough tournament and it seems like the field is getting stouter every year," Gregoriew said. "Southlake has a really strong team, so I'll be interested to see how they do, but any team has to be on their game to do well at our tournament."
That includes Allen, which isn't just the host team, but also a competitor.
"We always listen to the feedback of the teams that play here and I'm glad they keep coming back," Gregoriew said. "It's good for the reputation of our program and the city of Allen."
The Lady Eagles, who defeated Richardson Pearce in five sets on Tuesday, open Friday's slate in Pool 1 by facing Frisco Centennial at 9 a.m., Ursuline at 11:30 a.m. and South Grand Prairie at 2 p.m.
This will serve as the next step in the countdown to the team's Sept. 9 district opener against Plano Senior.
"For us, the big picture starts once district starts," Gregoriew said.
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