FREDERICK — The Frederick volleyball team is growing quite fond of its new home.
So far it has been nothing but a winning tradition at the Warriors’ new digs. On Thursday, Frederick recorded its third consecutive win in its home gym, and its fourth consecutive win overall, by dispatching Class 4A Tri-Valley League rival Erie with a 26-24, 25-11, 25-23 three-game sweep.
“We love this new building,” Frederick senior Courtney Zimmerman said. “We love having our huge rowdy crowd and all of our fans here to support us.”
Frederick has rallied from a 1-3 start to post consecutive wins against Mitchell, Wheat Ridge, Northridge, and now Erie, the final three of which occurred at home. After being forced to outlast Wheat Ridge in five games in the debut of the new gym on Monday, Warriors coach Jamie Bradt said she put her club through their paces this week at practice.
Frederick (5-3, 2-2 Tri-Valley) has responded with consecutive sweeps in league play against Northridge and Erie.
“We’ve been learning to play as a team, and that’s our goal right now,” Bradt said. “We struggled on Monday against Wheat Ridge, and they took a beating for it from me. Especially on our home court, we have to go out and dominate. I don’t want any more five-games. We’re pulling three games a week now, so when we go five it becomes tough. We’re working on getting it done in three.”
As has been the case so far this season with Frederick, the Warriors enjoyed a balanced all-around effort on Thursday. Four players produced at least four kills for Frederick, led by six from junior Brooklin LeBon. Zimmerman recorded 17 digs and LeBon added 16, while junior Codi Whitmer contributed 10 assists, five kills, two aces, and two blocks.
Frederick broke a 24-24 tie in the first game by scoring the final two points, then reeled off eight consecutive points in Game 2 while cruising to a 25-11 win. The Warriors completed the sweep with a 25-23 win in Game 3.
“We’re starting to come together as a team. Before it was a little more off-and-on,” LeBon said. “Our (balance) has definitely pushed me harder. At the beginning of the season I wasn’t a starting player, but this has pushed me harder to earn that spot. The competition is there for us and I think that helps.”
Erie has been facing a rebuilding situation after losing seven seniors from last year’s club, yet head coach Abby Hicks has been pleased with the progress of her young pack of Tigers. Erie displayed some fight on Thursday despite facing long odds late, trimming a late 20-14 lead for Frederick in Game 3 to 24-23 before the Warriors finally prevailed.
Senior Cambry Prichard led the Tigers (1-4, 1-3) with four kills.
“The tempo of our offense is something that’s different, so we’re still trying to fine-tune and we’re still trying to execute consistently,” Erie coach Abby Hicks said. “When it’s good, it’s good. We work in the system and it’s great. But again, it’s that experience of being able to persevere and shrug off our mistakes and keep believing even when it gets tough. This is a huge rivalry, and when you don’t have that experience it can be shocking.”
Follow Pat Rooney on Twitter: @prooney07
Frederick 3, Erie 0
At Frederick HS
Erie (1-4, 1-3) 24 11 23
Frederick (5-3, 2-2) 26 25 25
Kills — Erie: Prichard 4, Bauchert 3, Sakalosky 3; Frederick: LeBon 6, Whitmer 5, Pepitone 4, Arneson 4.
Blocks — Erie: Bauchert 3, Fitzgerald 2; Frederick: Whitmer 3, Arneson 2, Pepitone 1.
Assists — Erie: Fitzgerald 8; Frederick: Whitmer 10, DiGesualdo 3.
Aces — Erie: Campbell 3; Frederick: Duey 2, Whitmer 2.
Digs — Erie: Kaiser 6; Frederick: Zimmerman 17, LeBon 16, DiGesualdo 9.
