FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Sandpoint volleyball looking to take another step in right direction

LAST SEASON: 5-9 (excludes tournaments) with key wins over Lake City and Moscow (3).

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Belen Gonzales, jr.; Audrey Petruso, sr.; Gretta Beck, jr.; Hazel Pierce, jr.; Calie Bailey, sr.; Marlee Lane, so.

Last year, under then first-year head coach Piper Wahlin, the Lady Bulldogs took down Lake City in four sets for the first time since 2010. Although just barely missing the postseason with 3-1 loss to Lakeland, it was a solid year for Sandpoint. With five wins, it may not seem that way on paper, but the Lady Bullldogs mustered up a win over Bonners Ferry, three wins over Moscow, and took a set from Lakeland in all three of the teams' meetings. At the 2023 Judy Fong Invitational, which Sandpoint will be attending again this year, the Lady Bulldogs defeated teams like Pendleton, Orofino, and Kendrick. At the 2023 Linda Sheridan Classic, another stop on Sandpoint's 2024 schedule, the team took down Shadle Park and Graham-Kapowsin. Having graduated six seniors, the Lady Bulldogs hope that this year's squad, which consists mostly of juniors, is able to keep trending in the right direction.

Senior Audrey Petruso will lead Sandpoint this season. A libero, Petruso had a team-high 131 digs (3.4/set) and 16 aces last season based on reported games.

"I'm feeling really excited; I'm ready to put my all into it," Petruso said about the upcoming season. "I'm ready to bring the heat and leave it all on the court for my last year."

Petruso will work hand-in-hand with fellow senior Calie Bailey, the Lady Bulldogs' new starting setter. The two have been playing together since seventh grade. Bailey replaces Hailey Swaim, who had over 95 percent of the Bulldogs' assists last season.

"I'm feeling confident going into this season," Bailey said. "Having Hailey as an upperclassmen last year was super fun. She was really good at making sure underclassmen are ready for this role. I love all of those girls on the team and I want to be that strong person for them that's there and consistent."

Coach Wahlin, a former SHS and Weber State University standout who has been with the program for six years now, said she is excited to have Petruso and Bailey as seniors, noting that they have always been "in the mix".

"This is their year to kind of take over and run it," coach Wahlin said. "Audrey is dialed in and fired up, always, on the court. Calie is going to have a great season setting the offense; she'll get to attack a little bit as well, hopefully."

Petruso and Bailey will look to set up returning junior Belen Gonzales, an outside hitter who was third on the team with 31 kills last season.

"We're going to look to her for a lot of our offense; she's also great defensively and has a tough serve," coach Wahlin, who returns for her second season as Sandpoint's varsity head coach, said of Gonzales. "We're going to depend on her a lot, but were also going to need other players to step up."

Junior Gretta Beck, a defensive specialist, also returns to the lineup. Beck showed glimpses of greatness last season. As a sophomore, she had 94 digs, and statistically, was the Lady Bulldogs' best serve receiver.

"Based on our personnel, we're going to have get Greta into different positions," coach Wahlin said. "She's probably going to have to be an all six rotation player this year and I think that will be good for her."

Marlee Lane, the team's lone sophomore, will see a solid amount of sets out of the gate, especially due to the fact the Lady Bulldogs' roster only has eight healthy players at the moment. Wahlin said between Lane and junior Hazel Pierce, the front row has a bit more height, something she is excited about.

"This year is going to be interesting," Wahlin said about how the team stacks up against 5A IEL competition, Lakeland, Moscow, and now Lewiston. "You never really know until you know. We're not sure if other teams are going through similar things regarding injuries and whatnot. We're going to be in the gym working hard everyday until then focusing on what we can do, and we'll see how it goes from there."

Wahlin said as long as she can keep her team healthy, Sandpoint is in store for another good season of volleyball.

"It's really good group of girls that seem really close already," coach Wahlin said. "They're willing to work hard for each other, and that's not always the case. I feel like the culture in the gym this year is different, in a positive way, and I'm excited to see what they can do."

SHS VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

8/23 — @ Lake City, 7 p.m.

8/29 — @ Coeur d’Alene, 7 p.m.

8/30 — @ Bonners Ferry, 3 p.m.

9/3 — @ Moscow, 7 p.m.

9/5 — vs. Coeur d’Alene, 7 p.m.

9/7 — @ Judy Fong Invitational

9/10 — vs. Lake City, 7 p.m.

9/12 — @ Post Falls, 7 p.m.

9/19 — @ Lakeland, 7 p.m.

9/26 — @ Lewiston, 7 p.m.

9/27-28 — @ Linda Sheridan Classic

10/1 — vs. Moscow, 7 p.m.

10/8 — vs. Lakeland, 7 p.m.

10/17 — vs. Lewiston, 7 p.m.

    Sandpoint High senior Audrey Petruso gets ready to serve for the Bulldogs during a home match last season.