EAST MOUNTAIN VOLLEYBALL: Timberwolves Will Reload Rather Than Rebuild

Volleyball success isn’t always measured by wins and losses, but instead by how a program has progressed and handled the ups and downs of a high school season. For East Mountain coach Kasi Giovenco, it’s about the health of her team’s support system, something that goes off the charts for the Lady Timberwolves.

The Support System

“Overall, our biggest accomplishment is the amount of support the girls give each other, and they just gel naturally. They have this natural support system within themselves.” Giovenco said. It’s a different generation of coaching. It’s not so much X’s and O’s anymore. There’s a lot of the mental game, and a lot of these girls were able to rely on each other, and not so much on an external support like an adult.”

It was the kind of support system that helped East Mountain overcome disappointments and rally for its second-best ever season at 10-13.

While focusing on her team’s logistics, Giovenco also pointed out that the Lady Timberwolves (10-13) won the Silver Bracket with a clean sweep at the new Cimmaron tournament this season.

The Rollercoaster Ride

It was a rollercoaster season for East Mountain after opening with a 3-0 win over Socorro. The Lady Timberwolves dropped their next five matches, only to win five of their next six matches.

With the season drawing to a close, Giovenco will face the task of reloading her team, and players will have to step into spots now left vacant by the graduation of seniors Jennifer Tetreault, Rhiannon Wild, Summer Felter, Chaeli Lehocky, Idaly Munoz, and Surai Dominguez.

Giovenco’s senior squad brought more than just athletic talent to the table.

“The younger girls really looked up to a lot of these leaders. Our seniors led with talent, emotion, and passion. They never grumbled, and they thrived under pressure,” Giovenco said.

Reloading as Opposed to Rebuilding

One question a coach always has for their next season is whether they face a rebuilding or reloading of their team, and for East Mountain, it might be about tamping down the cannons.

The Lady Timberwolves’ front-line attack was led by sophomore Calla DiMaio and her 151 kills. Freshman Evelyn Salberg was second with 137 and junior Alynna Cook who recorded 80 was fifth.

Throw in the combined talents of Kennedy Scott, Olivia Gonzales, Henley Hatley, and Cassidy Burke, and it’s easy to see East Mountain can make a serious run next year.