Elizabeth Forward girls volleyball team necessary adjustments
When Lindsay Konias picked Saturday, as the date for the second annual Elizabeth Forward Girls Volleyball Tournament she had no idea that it conflicted with SAT and ACT testing.
"I got an email in August when I was on vacation," Konias said. "A team was pulling out of our tournament because they had too many players taking SAT and ACT tests that day. I realized that I must do something quickly or lose most of my teams."
Konias had three options and the first was not practical, as changing the date would likely cause other conflicts for most of the participants. The second option, of cancelling the tournament, is one that Konias did consider.
With that in mind, Konias went with the most logical option of changing the starting time and hope that the participants could adapt.
"I called all the coaches and suggested that we start the tournament at 2 p.m.," Konias said. "Most agreed to the time change. Seton-LaSalle, Brownsville and Jefferson-Morgan dropped out, which left us with nine teams. Fortunately, I was able to pick up West Miffin, Belle Vernon and Serra."
Also entered in the tournament are Chartiers-Houston, Connellsville, Hampton, McKeesport, Peters Township, Ringgold, South Park, Yough and host Elizabeth Forward. The tournament will take place at Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth.
"Court Time has four courts, but we're only using three," Konias said. "We're hoping to expand the tournament to 16 teams next year. I've already heard from a couple teams that want in next year."
After the first round of section play, Elizabeth Forward was tied for the Section 5-AA lead with Thomas Jefferson at 4-1. South Park and Steel Valley are tied for third at 3-2.
"Our only loss was to Steel Valley (2-2)," Konias said. "It was just a bad day. Things were not clicking at all for the girls. We didn't overlook them. It was more a mental thing. We just didn't get the job done."
Konias' squad has looked much better in two more recent section matches. The Warriors swept defending section champion Thomas Jefferson, then followed with a 3-0 win against South Park, last year's third-place section finisher.
Elizabeth Forward has made four consecutive WPIAL playoff appearances since Konias took over as head coach. The Warriors finished second in the section last season, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Greensburg Salem.
"This team has the talent required to win a section title," Konias said. "We just have to keep working hard and continue to improve every day."
Konias has all but two players -- both of whom graduated -- back from last year's squad.
"This year, we have six seniors and they all have varsity experience," Konias said.
The seniors are 5-foot-11 outside hitter Catherine Waters, 5-7 outside hitter Alex Bollman, 5-6 setter Nicole Lapinsky, 5-5 defensive specialist Kelly Goettel, 5-3 defensive specialist Hannah Ulmer and 5-4 defensive specialist Jen Welsh.
"We moved Catherine from the middle to the outside this year," Konias said. "The change will benefit Catherine because she is better suited to be an outside hitter in college."
Lapinsky is sharing the setting duties with 5-6 sophomore Hannah Saunders.
"Hannah and Nicole have been splitting the setting duties," Konias said. "We've used a 6-2 [alignment] with both playing, and a 5-1 with one of the two setting. It all depends on who we are playing."
Saunders is one of four sophomores seeing significant playing time for the Warriors. The other three are 6-0 middle hitter Corri Waters, 5-11 middle hitter Natalie Fekula and 5-3 defensive specialist Mikayla Ambler. Waters, Catherine's younger sister, started last year as a freshman.
Katie Shinavski, a 5-3 junior, has taken over as the Warriors libero after spending time in the back row last year as a reserve. Christine Bruno and Rebecca Lewis, a pair of 5-7 juniors, are splitting time on the right side.
"I got an email in August when I was on vacation," Konias said. "A team was pulling out of our tournament because they had too many players taking SAT and ACT tests that day. I realized that I must do something quickly or lose most of my teams."
Konias had three options and the first was not practical, as changing the date would likely cause other conflicts for most of the participants. The second option, of cancelling the tournament, is one that Konias did consider.
With that in mind, Konias went with the most logical option of changing the starting time and hope that the participants could adapt.
"I called all the coaches and suggested that we start the tournament at 2 p.m.," Konias said. "Most agreed to the time change. Seton-LaSalle, Brownsville and Jefferson-Morgan dropped out, which left us with nine teams. Fortunately, I was able to pick up West Miffin, Belle Vernon and Serra."
Also entered in the tournament are Chartiers-Houston, Connellsville, Hampton, McKeesport, Peters Township, Ringgold, South Park, Yough and host Elizabeth Forward. The tournament will take place at Court Time Sports Center in Elizabeth.
"Court Time has four courts, but we're only using three," Konias said. "We're hoping to expand the tournament to 16 teams next year. I've already heard from a couple teams that want in next year."
After the first round of section play, Elizabeth Forward was tied for the Section 5-AA lead with Thomas Jefferson at 4-1. South Park and Steel Valley are tied for third at 3-2.
"Our only loss was to Steel Valley (2-2)," Konias said. "It was just a bad day. Things were not clicking at all for the girls. We didn't overlook them. It was more a mental thing. We just didn't get the job done."
Konias' squad has looked much better in two more recent section matches. The Warriors swept defending section champion Thomas Jefferson, then followed with a 3-0 win against South Park, last year's third-place section finisher.
Elizabeth Forward has made four consecutive WPIAL playoff appearances since Konias took over as head coach. The Warriors finished second in the section last season, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to Greensburg Salem.
"This team has the talent required to win a section title," Konias said. "We just have to keep working hard and continue to improve every day."
Konias has all but two players -- both of whom graduated -- back from last year's squad.
"This year, we have six seniors and they all have varsity experience," Konias said.
The seniors are 5-foot-11 outside hitter Catherine Waters, 5-7 outside hitter Alex Bollman, 5-6 setter Nicole Lapinsky, 5-5 defensive specialist Kelly Goettel, 5-3 defensive specialist Hannah Ulmer and 5-4 defensive specialist Jen Welsh.
"We moved Catherine from the middle to the outside this year," Konias said. "The change will benefit Catherine because she is better suited to be an outside hitter in college."
Lapinsky is sharing the setting duties with 5-6 sophomore Hannah Saunders.
"Hannah and Nicole have been splitting the setting duties," Konias said. "We've used a 6-2 [alignment] with both playing, and a 5-1 with one of the two setting. It all depends on who we are playing."
Saunders is one of four sophomores seeing significant playing time for the Warriors. The other three are 6-0 middle hitter Corri Waters, 5-11 middle hitter Natalie Fekula and 5-3 defensive specialist Mikayla Ambler. Waters, Catherine's younger sister, started last year as a freshman.
Katie Shinavski, a 5-3 junior, has taken over as the Warriors libero after spending time in the back row last year as a reserve. Christine Bruno and Rebecca Lewis, a pair of 5-7 juniors, are splitting time on the right side.
volleyball