By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
FORKS — Forks swept Chimacum 3-0 in the season-opening volleyball match for both teams.
Former Spartan player and assistant coach Jenn (Neel) LeDuke is the new Forks head coach, her second stint as the team’s head volleyball coach. She takes over for her high school coach Patty Brandt, who is now coaching volleyball and teaching at Connell High School in Eastern Washington.
LeDuke said she was able to mix and match her personnel in Tuesday’s win.
“It was our first game and we had a lot of younger kids in the mix,” she said. “[The win] was really a unit thing, we were figuring out where we can put our players. I’m really mixing them in different spots that they haven’t played before and they responded well and did their jobs, even if they were not used to it.”
LeDuke is mixing her players around because she has a number of tall and talented players, particularly in the middle, and wants them to see the floor.
Senior middle hitter Bailey Queen returns to lead the team, along with fellow senior outside hitters Bailey Kratzer and Ireni Ramos and libero Angela Garcia-Moog. Junior Julia Lausche returns at setter and classmate Brittany Bean plays on the outside.
Sophomore Jayden Olson is setting and playing on the outside and fellow sophomore Rian Peters is playing in the middle.
LeDuke said 6-1 freshman Chloe Leverington will be in the mix in the middle and 5-8 utility player Natalie Lausche will play all over the court.
“Natalie played varsity last night and did really well,” LeDuke said. “I’m very pleased with her. She has shown a great attitude about moving around. She’s always like, “OK, coach.”
With skilled returning players and some freshman contributors, LeDuke said the team is ready to see what it can accomplish this season.
“We have some really good height and some good experience back this year,” she said. “Having those freshman help out will be good and we are very excited for this year.”
Forks (1-0) visits Neah Bay today.
Chimacum (0-1) hosts Coupeville on Tuesday.
Boys Tennis Port Angeles 5, Coupeville 3
COUPEVILLE — The Port Angeles tennis boys won five matches out of eight versus Coupeville.
Kenny Soule won his singles match over Nick Etzell 6-0, 6-2 in Tuesday’s meet, while Hayden Woods won his singles match over Coupeville’s Jakobi Baumann 6-3, 6-1.
Hunter Dougherty and Jadon Seibel won their doubles’ match 6-4, 6-2, while Brady Nickerson and Kyler Tourbin won their doubles’ match 6-1, 6-1.
Dru Clark and Caleb Flodstrom won their doubles’ match 8-1.
The boys next play at 4 p.m. today at North Kitsap.
Port Angeles 5, Coupeville 3
Match Report
Singles
No. 1: Kenny Soule (PA) def Nick Etzell (C) 6-0, 6-2.
No. 2: Hayden Woods (PA) def Jakobi Faumann (C) 6-3, 6-1.
No. 3: Mason Grave (C) def. Henry Shaw (PA) 6-4, 6-0.
Doubles
No. 1: Lippo/Nelson (C) def. Jarnigan/Whitman (PA) 6-1, 6-2.
No. 2 Dougherty/Seibel (PA) def. Lockwood/Gamarra 6-4, 6-3.
No. 3: Nickerson/Tourbin (PA) def. Baumann/Johnson 6-1, 6-1.
No. 4: Ginnin/Borden (C) def. Hall/Price (PA) 7-5.
No. 5: Clark/Flodstrom (PA) def. Sinclair/Peterson (C) 8-1.
