Pioneers moving forward with new coach
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers RISE ABOVE- Simi Valley's Kasey Ullery, right, blasts a kill into the outstretched arms of Moorpark's Rachel Olinyk during the third game of Tuesday night's matchup at Moorpark High. Facing the Marmonte League's preseason favorite, SVHS lost in three games.

During the offseason Melissa Stites was promoted to head coach of the Simi Valley High girls' volleyball team after two years serving as an assistant. Now Stites is looking to elevate her team to another level as well.

After finishing 8-6 in the Marmonte League last year and making the playoffs for the second consecutive season, the Pioneers are hoping to catch league powerhouses Moorpark and Thousand Oaks by surprise and go deep into the postseason.

"The playoffs have gone from a goal of ours to an expectation," SVHS senior Andrea Chang said. "It's the same with the way we play. We don't just want to make our serves; we want to hit a certain spot on the court. We are not satisfied with just making the playoffs anymore. We want to do something once we get there."

Although Stites is new to the head coaching position, the team is familiar with her. Before landing the head coaching job, Stites previously served as the head coach at the junior varsity level as well as assisting Ryan Meek at the varsity level.

Meek left SVHS after last season to take a volunteer coaching job with the University of Arkansas' women's volleyball team.

"I'm basically trying to keep things the same as they were when Ryan was here," Stites said. "I agreed with him on most things here the last two years, and we were pretty successful. I just want to keep the ball rolling."

Senior libero Lisa Lee agreed that the team has not changed much despite the new coach.

"As a team I think we have the same ambitions," Lee said. "I don't think the team has changed because the coach changed. We still have to work our (backsides) off in practice."

Lee and Chang are two of six seniors on the team. Another senior that should contribute is Leeann Harridsleff, who's played on the varsity squad since her sophomore year.

"We have a lot of girls returning this year, and I think our experience will help us," Harridsleff said. "We are a very quick and scrappy team, and we're determined to win this year."

Harridsleff is part of a tall front line that includes 6-foot-2 senior Kelsey Kepler, and juniors Ashley Budfuloski, Breanne Metcalf and Kasey Ullery. All of the aformentioned juniors stand in at 5-foot-11.

Although the Pioneers have a lot of height, Harridsleff doesn't believe it's an automatic advantage.

"Our height, more than anything, will just keep us competitive," Harridsleff said. "At first I was excited when I saw how tall we were, but then you go in to play tall teams like Moorpark and Thousand Oaks, and you realize that they are just as tall as us."

One of the juniors that the coach has been impressed with is Ullery, who came up to the varsity level midway through last season. During Simi Valley's first league game Tuesday at Moorpark, Stites was thrilled with her junior.

"Last night she took some big swings at the net when we needed them and came through," Stites said. "I'm looking for her to do big things for us this year."

Stites also complimented Kepler's and Metcalf's play.

"Kepler plays middle for us most of the time, and she has the ability to just take over the net," Stites said. "If she is putting her mind to it and playing hard, she can really put some people down with her hits.

"Metcalf helps us out, and she is always encouraging the rest of the team with her spirit. She plays pretty good, too."

The Pioneers lost in three games to Moorpark, proving that they've still got a lot of work to do if they want to be considered an upper echelon team in league. In addition, Stites said the Pioneers' intensity must improve.

"I thought our intensity was average (against Moorpark), but we need to have it be like it was during the Dave Mohs Tournament we played earlier in the year at Huntington Beach," Stites said. "Everyone was doing a good job of communicating in that tournament, and that's what I'm looking for the rest of the year."

Although Moorpark and Thousand Oaks may be the favorites in the Marmonte League, Stites believes her squad could sneak up on some teams.

"This is a very tough league, and there are at least five schools that can win on any given night," Stites said. "We are one of those teams, and the girls need to step it up and realize that they are a good team and can compete."

Simi Valley played Thousand Oaks yesterday, but as of press time the score was unavailable. The Pioneers will play their league home opener Tuesday when they host Newbury Park. Game time is set for 6 p.m.