By Caleb Knudsen
During the week following the early September St. Helena tournament, where they got their first win of the season, the Healdsburg High girls volleyball team focused on the fundamentals. “I think we made some really important strides during that stretch of practice, and it showed in Novato that weekend,” said coach Jonathan Nuttall, referring to a five-game NorCal Tournament held Sept. 14.
The tournament was a full day of volleyball, against four different opponents in the elimination format. Healdsburg, with their 1-12 record at the time, was unranked. “We were the lowest ranked team in our pool on MaxPreps, but we walked out of San Marin High’s gym placed second in our pool, only having lost to Shasta,” Nuttall said.
Ultimately they placed eighth out of 16 teams, adding two wins to their year’s total. “For a team with only one win in our pocket coming into the tournament, it was a huge success, and I think the girls and parents all agreed,” the coach said.
That primed Healdsburg for an at-home meeting with Elsie Allen—oddly a non-league match, although both teams are in the Redwood League. Not only was it a pre-season match, the visiting team was outnumbered, with only six girls on its roster. And the Greyhound girls were ready to play their best.
“We knew we were the favorites to win the match, but the girls didn’t let that go to their heads and they played clean, dominant volleyball three sets in a row,” Nuttall said. They hit season highs in both aces (32) and kills (28). Senior Sophia Turic alone served nine aces, and libero Melissa Casas Gatica wasn’t far behind with eight.
“It’s a good win to have coming into league play,” said the confident young coach.
League play began on Tuesday evening, against Rancho Cotate in their gym, but results come in too late for press time. Rancho had lost two in a row, however, and as the favorites to take the league this year a Healdsburg win would be surprising.
“I know the team very well from my time with them last year, and I still have a very close relationship to their coaching staff,” Nuttall said. The Cotate Cougars finished second in the league last year, but the first-place-finishing Ukiah has left the league.
“If there was one team I hope we can upset this season it’s definitely the Cougars, and I don’t think it’s outside our potential,” Nuttall said.
Unfortunately, despite a surprise second set 25-23 win, they fell to Rancho Cotate 3-1.
The next home game is against Elsie Allen on Sept. 26, this time a league match-up. JV plays at 5pm and varsity at 6:30pm at Healdsburg High’s East Gym.
