Lehi Sports
Pioneer girls volleyball excited to play
Beky Beaton / Lehi Free Press
The Lehi girls volleyball team is looking to continue in their progress after a 12-13 season last year under third-year Coach Alise Bowles. “We may not have any seniors this year, but our young kids have grit, tenacity and a hunger to be really mindful in how they approach their games,” she said.
“It’s been a fun beginning to the year with these long practice days and the girls are eager to get the season started,” the coach said.
“This season is going to be a fun learning and growing experience as we push these young women to strive together to compete. We as coaches feel fortunate to be working with them this year,” she added.
Junior outside hitter Aliya Shewell leads the list of key returning players. “She has been in the lineup as a 6-rotation player since her freshman year,” Bowles said. “She has the highest passing rate on the team and is a smart game manager at the net.
“She was our anchor on the passing line, passing a 1.9 on the season. She also came up big in the offensive game from the service line and in the front row,” Bowles said.
Shewell averaged 3.2 kills, 2.2 digs and 3.8 serve-receives per match last season with a kill percentage of 35.2. She also tallied 53 aces, 26 combined blocks and 13 assists. Her older brother Ashton was named Mr. Volleyball as a junior this past spring.
Sophomore hitter Laken Bell is a returner from the varsity squad last year as well. “She has physically grown to be 6’1″ and has also matured in other ways as a volleyball player,” Bowles said. “We are excited to see what offense and defense she can bring us at the net.”
Bell appeared in 86 percent of Lehi’s sets last year, contributing 129 kills, 17aces, 119 points, 24 combined blocks and 40 digs to the team total.
Junior Aftyn Hurst will be starting in the libero slot for the Pioneers. “She had some minutes in that role last year and found herself a serving specialist as a freshman,” Bowles said.
“She is one of our highest ace-percentage servers and we are excited for her calming presence on the court along with her very quick first step.” Hurst collected 36 aces and led the team with 218 points, also averaging 1.7 digs and 3.2 serve-receives per set.
Sophomore newcomer Paisley Brems will be running the offense as the starting setter. “I feel very fortunate to have worked with her in both the club scene and during the high school season,” Bowles said.
“She is a true quarterback-type leader and finds her hitters some great situations that can help them be successful. She is a fierce competitor and helps hold a standard of Lehi volleyball in practice and in games,” the coach said.
Bowles said the Region 3 competition is going to be a battle every night, to no one’s surprise. The league claimed the top three spots in the coaches preseason 6A poll with Corner Canyon, Lone Peak and Skyridge.
“I do still believe we are the toughest region in 6A to play in,” Bowles said. “Each night is going to be a great night for our team to put our habits to the test. Corner Canyon is returning some big key players such as Maija Mortensen (Jr. MB) and Maia Schwalgger (Jr. OH).
“Skyridge will have a lot of new faces but will return an anchor on defense with Estelle Slaney (Sr. L). Lone Peak has the best pin the state in my opinion in Ava Burgess coming back for her senior year.
“American Fork has Macy Melville (Sr. OH) as their big offense coming back and a solid setter in Brynn Murray (Sr.). We know it’s going to be a challenge, but we are expecting to be right in the thick of it,” the coach concluded.
Lehi gets the schedule started with a pair of contests this week. They host Westlake on Tuesday (Aug. 11) and then welcome Olympus on Thursday (Aug. 13). Varsity first serve is scheduled for around 6:30 p.m. in both matches.
