Cape volleyball holds play day
The Cape Henlopen volleyball squad played host to some of the top teams in the state Aug. 26 for its annual Play Day at the Beach.
Teams participating in the event were Archmere, Conrad, Delaware Military Academy, Caravel, Newark Charter, Sussex Central, Tatnall, Wilmington Friends and Smyrna.
“I’m excited with how our play day went,” said Cape head coach Tyler Coupe. “We threw out a ton of different lineups and got players some reps in positions they’re used to and some in positions they may not have expected. We still have some holes we are trying to fill, primarily our libero position, so it was a great opportunity for us to get some game-speed reps for those who are competing for the spot. We have a variety of players that can play each pin, so we’re still trying to analyze which combination of players gives us the best chance to succeed.
“I thought our serving all day was our most impressive skill set. We forced teams out of system consistently, which is a huge emphasis for us. I think our passing was a bit inconsistent. With the inconsistent passing we become too one-dimensional offensively. If we can clean that up a bit, it will allow our setters to run whichever offensive option they want. Our blocking had some serious positive block touches, which again is what we aim for. We’re not looking for stuff blocks, but touches that slow the attack down and allow our defense to get a more consistent pass for our offense to transition to.
“This next week-and-a-half of practices are going to be fun. We still have a lot to learn with seven new players to varsity, and I’m looking forward to challenging them, and watching them challenge the returning players. This type of intra-squad competition is one of my favorite parts of coaching.”
Senior Rileigh Wilson said: “I think throughout the day we progressed really well and could put up good competition against some of the top teams in the state. Even with the change of the lineups every game, we still all worked together as one rather than just six players on a court. With some more work, I think we could really compete for a good seed in the state.”
