Gilmour volleyball: Lancers enter season with mix of youth and experience
Aug. 17—After it came off its second straight state championship, Gilmour has its eyes set to try and complete the trifecta.
However, this coming season will have a new look for the Lancers. Players such as three-time News-Herald player of the year Kathryn Randorf and Sabrina Gremm graduated, and a wave of new players look to fill their shoes.
Coach Danny Coughlin knows it will take some time for the newer players to find their footing at the varsity level. He knows this year's iteration of the Lancers will be vastly different than in years past and that will take time to get used to.
"It's going to be different this year because we're going to have to be more well-rounded," Coughlin said. "We have to figure out how to be successful at playing the game differently than we have in the past. We've had the luxury of having some hitters that we can give the ball to over and over to get us out of a jam. Right now with how young we are, we're trying to find out who those players can be."
This year's Gilmour team features eight players who are freshman or sophomores and just four seniors. But one of those seniors happens to be Wofford signee Laney Klika.
Her experience has helped some of the newer faces on the defensive side of the ball develop chemistry and get used to the Gilmour brand of volleyball.
It's a young group this year for @GALancerVB, but senior Laney Klika doesn't see that as a bad thing #NHVolleyball pic.twitter.com/AorbPmMVfT
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) August 17, 2022
"What we've been working on the most has been connecting with one another," Klika said. "We don't have a lot of key players from last year, and it's on other girls to step up and become those key players. We're trying to get used to each other and working with each other."
While youth might be prevalent at Gilmour, that doesn't mean they lack in experience. A pair of sophomores played critical roles in a run to a second straight state title.
The duo of middle blocker Kayla Chanell and setter Ella Jackson played crucial parts for the Lancers last season. Chanell totaled 72 blocks last season, which placed her sixth in The News-Herald coverage area, and Jackson comes off a season where she recorded 647 assists.
"We had a few young players last year who got a lot of experience," Jackson said. "To have experience like that going into this year is huge and something that we're able to pass to the new wave of players."
With leaders like them on the court, Gilmour also went and brought on a new assistant in Whitney Craigo. Craigo was a setter for Avon Lake as well as the University of Maryland and has worked extensively with Jackson.
Other players have also begun to take on leadership roles as the first set of games approaches. With a wide range of new names and new skill sets, to have several players take on those roles is something Coughlin is happy to see.
"Ella does a great job moving the ball around," Coughlin said. "She's such a brain and commands the court really well. Bringing Whitney in as an assistant has kind of helped open her eyes and expose her to more styles for setting. It's sparking new energy out there, and we have a lot of hitters on the pins that can be those killers that we need. Laney's taking charge on a large basis.
"Even though she's on the defensive side of the court, she's done a great job with the players. Maria Flynn has a loud voice and asserting her wisdom on the kids. Anna Rarkic is doing what the Rarkices have done for us in the past with that calm and composed attitude on the court."
Jackson and Klika have made it a point to work on chemistry as often as possible this preseason. With a wide range of outside hitters who could be around her, Jackson knows how important it is to know what each hitter likes as an assist.
Even with a multitude of players that can help contribute, Klika knows it will take some time to see who can become key contributors. While many have shown promise, she knows practice and matches are two different things.
After a phenomenal freshman year, Ella Jackson has taken on more of a leadership role for the @GALancerVB offense with a lot of potential on the front line #NHVolleyball pic.twitter.com/8rXe7Sj3Ea
— Ben Hercik (@BHercikNH) August 17, 2022
"There's so much talent that it's hard to narrow it down to a few key contributors," Jackson said. "Since there's a lot of hitters, we have to be able to set up that communication aspect. And with us being so deep, all the girls have different sets, so getting to know what they need has been important."
Klika added: "We have a lot of really good players and are really deep. Everybody can get on the court and contribute. The biggest challenge so far has been finding those key players that can help us every set."
The Lancers take the court for the first time this season when they welcome Walsh Jesuit to Lancer Gymnasium on Aug. 30.
