MILL CREEK — The Archbishop Murphy volleyball team believes this is the year it will go to state for the first time.
“It seems like we’re a lot more motivated this year,” said Allie Gotz, a 5-foot, 6-inch senior libero, who was honorable mention all-state last year.
The Wildcats return everyone off a team that went 7-5 in the Cascade Conference and 9-8 overall. They were eliminated by Mount Baker in the 2A District 1 playoffs last year.
Archbishop Murphy volleyball coach Mike Bettinghouse, who started the team in 2001, lives in Reno but wanted to coach the Wildcats badly enough that he came back for at least one more season. He and his wife have sold their house here so he’s living in a mother-in-law basement apartment owned by the family of one his players, Lucy Bishop.
Gotz, who is being recruited by Western Washington, is “really the team leader on and off the court,” Bettinghouse said. “She’s just really the heart and soul of the team. She makes sure everybody’s up and focused if things aren’t going quite right.”
Gotz is one of seven seniors on the team, which include 6-0 outside hitter and co-captain Kayelynne Huggins, and Bishop, a 5-9 opposite-side hitter.
Patti Reeves, a 5-7 junior setter, was second-team all-conference last year, and is coming off an outstanding club season, Bettinghouse said. Megan Robinson, a 5-11 junior outside hitter, has “very good leaping ability,” he said. “She’s going to be our go-to person.”
Also back are a pair of middle blockers, 5-10 sophomore Rachel Shober and 5-9 senior Kaitlin Hoban, “a blue-collar,” player, according to Bettinghouse.
The team’s top newcomer is right-side hitter Ashley Broadwell, a 6-1 sophomore and the Wildcats’ tallest player.
Bettinghouse said the Wildcats are focused on footwork and timing. Height isn’t as important as how high and well the players jump, he said.
“We’re not the biggest team but we have a lot of heart and we’re good on defense,” Gotz said.
The Wildcats hope to use their athletic ability to play to their strength, which should be defense.
“Floor defense will be our strength,” Bettinghouse said. “We hope their quickness will help on offense as well since we don’t have real big hitters. We’re going to try to make up for that with a quick offense.”
The Wildcats, along with Cedarcrest and King’s, are expected to be at the top of the Cascade Conference. State is the ultimate goal for Archbishop Murphy though.
“That’s been our goal for the last two years and this year we’ve got a chance to achieve that,” Bettinghouse said.
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