Live Oak High senior middle blocker Juliette Bowers and junior
outside hitter Kristen Russ were among 11 Tri-County Athletic
League players honored on the all-league girls volleyball first
team announced recently.
Live Oak High senior middle blocker Juliette Bowers and junior outside hitter Kristen Russ were among 11 Tri-County Athletic League players honored on the all-league girls volleyball first team announced recently.
Bowers and Russ were joined on the All-TCAL team by senior outside hitter Tiven Catrett, who earned second team honors, sophomore setter Talia Ortiz-Reyes, who earned honorable mention, and senior Annie Le, who was named the winner of the team’s sportsmanship award.
According to Live Oak coach Laura Coleman, Bowers and Russ were key contributors to the Acorn team that overcame a string of injuries to finish 19-16 overall and make the Central Coast Section playoffs.
Coleman said Bowers shone at the middle blocker position, manning the net and showing her versatility by gathering an unusual number share of kills and digs while playing the position.
“Juliette had a huge impact,” Coleman said. “For her to have a high number of kills and digs (as a middle blocker) shows she is an impact player.
“She was an impact player last year but she was a better blocker this year and she was more consistent.”
Russ, a longtime club volleyball player, nearly quit the sport but turned out to be one of the team’s most solidifying influences, Coleman said.
“She has stepped up,” Coleman said. “She’s the team’s best hitter, she’s one of the best passers on the team and she had some great serving runs.”
Catrett, who missed about half the season due to injury, nevertheless provided the team with a spark when she was in the lineup, according to Coleman.
“She’s my aggressive one,” Coleman said. “She fires them up and gets them ready to play. There was a huge impact when she’s not on the team.”
Meanwhile, Ortiz-Reyes earned kudos for filling in admirably at a key position – setter – that she had never played before.
She stepped in when regular setter Kristie Johnson was lost to injury.
Finally, Coleman said Le provided a “positive attitude toward her own teammates” and a “little fire off the bench,” pumping up her teammates despite not seeing much playing time.
