Mia Elsperger (Photo by Noah Clooten)
The Devils Lake volleyball team has a much different look from last year.
Led by a new coach, and placed in a new classification, the Firebirds expect to win more matches. They went just 6-23 last year, and 2-20 in EDC points.
North Dakota high school volleyball, previously divided into two classes, now has three. Just like in basketball, Devils Lake is placed in the middle of the three classes — Class A — and no longer has to constantly face the Fargo and Grand Forks teams.
“Travel definitely is very nice at the three-class system,” Devils Lake coach Bridget Hanlan said. “I just think it gives us an opportunity to compete. The size of the larger schools we were playing in the Class A, it’s just very hard for the size of our school to compete with those.”
Hanlan is new this year, but she’s not new to coaching Devils Lake volleyball. She previously coached the team for 10 years. She stepped back when she had kids, but now, her kids are older.
“So it works with travel again, and to be able to donate time to doing this,” Hanlan said. “I just have a love for volleyball.”
The Firebirds got rolling right away, winning their first six sets of the season. It included a 3-0 sweep of Turtle Mountain at home. They went 6-2 in the Volley in the Valley tournament in Casselton.
Hanlan is happy with her team’s performance, yet still not satisfied.
“Great attitudes. They’ve really worked hard. We just haven’t gelled yet completely and totally,” she said. “And we’ll get there. It’s the early stages.”
In the first set of the home opener, a 13-1 lead became as close as 24-18. Devils Lake displayed signs of dominance, but some sloppy moments almost let Turtle Mountain back into it.
Sophomore Emma Hofstad has been a particular standout, especially after the team lost hitters like Claire Heilman and Jolie Martinson. She led Devils Lake in kills in each of the first two matches.
But Hanlan doesn’t want her team to rely on one or two players.
“We really want to use all of our hitters,” she said. “We want to be a team that’s known for all six of our hitters, and use everybody.”
Senior Mia Elsperger has been a big piece in stabilizing things on both offense and defense. Riley Remmick has been huge at setter, both in creating opportunities and coming up with the occasional service ace. Sara Kraft and Kinley Johson add a pair of strong hitters to the squad.
At the libero position, the Firebirds have big shoes to fill in Torri Fee, who’s already winning weekly Mon-Dak awards for Lake Region State College. But senior Julia McIvor has taken over the position and been Devils Lake’s top digger so far.
“They’ve just stepped up as a team. Everybody’s doing their job,” Hanlan said. “So [McIvor]’s doing her job in her spot, and we’re just gonna keep gelling and working together and fine-tuning it.”
If the Firebirds aren’t even playing their best volleyball yet, and they’re still coming up with early-season sweeps, then that only emphasizes how high their potential lies.
They open region play Thursday at home against Thompson at 7 p.m.
