Anna Turner (5) goes up for a kill against McQueen on Tuesday. Turner has 91 kills, sixth-most in Northern Class 5A.
Photo by Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage.
If you haven’t had a chance to stop by a Carson High volleyball game, don’t worry – you still have time.
After a 3-14 season last year, the Senators are off to their hottest start since 2018 and are 11-5 through 16 matches in 2022.
Thursday, the royal blue and white continued their climb up the Class 5A North league standings with a four-set win over rival Douglas High.
It secured Carson’s first win over the Tigers since 2017.
“It’s the best feeling in the whole world, I swear,” said senior Erin Peterson when asked about taking down Douglas.
(Carson High freshman Abigail Franco attacks the ball Tuesday against McQueen. Franco has 55 kills through 16 matches this season. / Jeff Mulvihill, Jr. | InstaImage)
Shifting in the right direction
Carson High head coach Brittany Witter is in her second season and has been wowed by her front row that is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous units in the North.
“I always talk about them, but that group of offensive players … those three just run the court,” said Witter.
Juniors Sarah Miller and Anna Turner have been nothing short of excellent as each is top 10 in the North in kills, per MaxPreps.
Miller boasts the most on the team with 112 kills while Turner is nearly keeping pace with 91 of her own.
It’s not just the two of them that are dominating at the net.
This season, Carson is getting crucial minutes from freshman Abigail Franco, who has 55 kills so far in her inaugural varsity season.
Franco, who stands at 5-foot-11, is averaging nearly a block a game and has the third best returning marks on the roster.
“She is a killer hitter and I love her line shots,” said Turner.
Miller echoed Turner’s sentiments saying Franco intimidated her initially, thinking the freshman may take her spot in the middle.
With four consecutive wins secured by the Senators, the team chemistry is growing.
“She can block anybody. It doesn’t matter,” said Franco of Turner’s play thus far.
The front row is averaging five blocks a contest and stifling opponents’ attacks often.
Of course, the front row wouldn’t be able to impress without senior setter Riley Kolsch, who has been equally dominant amongst her peers in the North this season.
Kolsch has 209 assists so far this season and her average of nearly six per set is one of the top numbers in Nevada.
“She’s amazing. Every time I can rely on her to give a good set,” said Miller of Kolsch’s passing.
“I feel like it’s just plain and simple and I don’t have to worry. When I approach, I don’t have to think about it, the ball is just there,” lauded Turner.
Carson has risen to fourth in the Class 5A North standings and while the likes of Bishop Manogue, Spanish Springs and Reno in front, the Senators are gaining confidence in their abilities to be one of the toughest teams in the North.
“I know I can rely on everybody else, which allows me to know I can do my job,” said Franco.
The praise isn’t just for each other on the floor. It’s also for the team’s second year head coach.
“I think Witter is a good coach and she has a lot to do with it,” said Kolsch. “She’s big on team bonding and working together and I think it’s helped us come together as a team.”
There are still adjustments to be made for Carson, as the players noted areas that need to be fine-tuned.
However, plenty of development has been made from the last season with a plethora of teammates playing in the club circuit.
Several Senators admitted they don’t have much of an “offseason” as high school volleyball fades directly into the club season and vice-versa.
Starting next week, Carson volleyball will begin its second rotation through the league schedule in hopes of maintaining its top four spot in the standings.
(Sarah Miller finishes a kill against Douglas on Thursday. Miller has been one of the top hitters in Northern Nevada, posting 112 kills through 40 sets. / Ron Harpin)
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