SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Millers beat the Willamette Wolverines 3-0 last Thursday at Millers Pavilion.
Miller standouts such as Sailor Hall, Julissa Henderson, and Sofia Yow stole the show. Hall, who finished 2023 with 124 kills, had 5 kills, and 3 assists in the match. Henderson, the Millers’ middle blocker who is on the state’s “Watch List” for standout players after recording 81 blocks last year – 5th best in the state – had 2 kills. And Yow, who coach Steve Smith says “is one of the best servers on the team” with 37 aces in ’23, had 4 kills and 2 assists.
Despite sweeping the match, the Millers briefly trailed at the start of the first and second sets.
Smith said he was not phased by these transitions and explained that this was the pattern for their two jamborees as well.
“It’s like a cat-and-mouse thing,” Smith said. “They let them get up, and they’re like, ‘Okay, now we’re gonna get up … it’s almost like they’re playing with them. And they did that in the tournament this last weekend too. So I wasn’t worried about it when they did it. Because I’m just like, ‘Okay, quit it you guys.’ And then that’s when they turn it on and they get back up.”
After only two tournaments, Smith said, the Millers have “found team.” During the beginning of the first set, there was a technical delay, in which the referee had a discussion with the scorekeepers for a couple of minutes. While spectators and players stood still in time, the Millers huddled as a team on the court. Smith attributes that mindset to the team culture.
“That’s one thing that I wanted them to focus on,” he said. “This is a team. They’ve really come together with that. And I think the team is pretty strong after the experience of our two tournaments.”
IN OTHER GAMES:
■No. 17 Cottage Grove 3, No. 27 Molalla 0: The Lions won their first game of the season against the Molalla Indians 3-0.
■No. 6 Creswell 3, No. 14 Sutherlin 1: The Bulldogs are starting off with a strong start to their season, only losing one game thus far. Last Thursday, they dominated the Sutherlin Bulldogs 3-1. The Creswell Bulldogs have never had much trouble with Sutherlin. In the past few seasons, they’ve frequently won 3-0 against them.
■No.1 Pleasant Hill, No. 10 Cascade Christian and No. 25 Siuslaw: The Billies continue to sweep past all their 3A foes. Monday, the Billies beat Cascade Christian 3-0 and Siuslaw 3-0. In the match against Cascade Christian, senior outside hitter Cheyenne Green had 19 kills, 9 digs and 2 blocks. Senior middle hitter Ruby Jackson added 12 kills. In addition, senior setter Claire Crawford had 33 assists, 10 digs and 2 aces.
■No.12 Ridgeview 3, No. 30 Thurston 0: The Colts continue to struggle as a younger, inexperienced team. They lost to the Ridgeview Ravens 0-3.
