Panthers volleyball struggles out of the gate, ready for first win

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

Editor's note: The Maumee volleyball team won its first game of the season, 3-0, over Rossford on Tuesday, Aug. 27. This story was written before that win.

No one in the Maumee volleyball program wanted to start the season like it has, but Panthers coach Lindsay Vannett is quick to point out that it’s still early in the season.

Maumee has gone winless in matches against Wauseon, Bowling Green and Archbold. The Panthers last went 0-3 to start a season in 2016.

“The girls in the last week have learned about overcoming obstacles, about being diverse players since we have had to move around girls to accommodate some unexpected issues, and that the start of the season will not be how we end,” Vannett said. “When we find our identity I think even they will surprise themselves.”

Maumee started last week with a 17-25, 21-25, 13-25 loss to visiting Bowling Green. Sydney Genot had seven kills and Autumn Draper added four kills and one block.

Brooke Kwiatkowski had 20 digs, nine assists and two service aces.

Audrey Wagner and Kirsten Green combined for 26 digs.

The Panthers also took a 12-25, 14-25, 16-25 loss at Defiance Tinora. Genot once again led at the net with seven kills while Draper had two kills and two blocks.

Green had 11 digs.

Kwiatkowski had 15 digs and 12 assists. The sophomore now leads Maumee with 51 digs, 45 assists and seven aces, and she’s third on the team with 10 kills.

As a freshman, Kwiatkowski was second on the team with 261 assists and 43 aces, and she added 148 digs and 61 kills.

“She definitely has the potential to be something special,” Vannett said. “She is still growing in the game and she works hard to get all she has so far.

“She has lots of high ambitions and her ceiling still has a lot of room in it. Her defense, decision making, and maturing in her approach to training has really helped her develop.”

This week started a run of eight straight Northern Buckeye Conference matches for Maumee, facing Rossford on Tuesday and Otsego on Thursday. Next week, They host Genoa on Tuesday and travel to Oak Harbor on Thursday.

Vannett said her team has put extra focus on league play “as a way to move on from the past week.”

“There are many lessons we have learned that will help us in the future of this season, but we can’t dwell on what has happened or we will never achieve goals we have set,” she added. “Once a lineup is settled and new roles are worked on and familiar, we will be fine and hopefully peaking at the right times throughout the year.”

Photos courtesy of Pride of the Panthers

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com