By Chris Parker
Carthage volleyball has a new head coach but a familiar face taking over this year in Chloe Allmoslecher. Allmoslecher is a graduate of Carthage and previously served as an assistant.
“Having the opportunity to coach for the program I played for is surreal. I have always been proud to be a part of Carthage Volleyball as an athlete and coach. This transition from assistant to head coach is one I don’t take lightly and consider a dream come true. I was born and raised here so my roots run deep,” Allmoslecher said.
A key tenant of Allmoslecher’s philosophy will be building confidence within her team.
“As a coach I truly believe if you can build a player’s confidence, you can build a great player,” Allmoslecher said. “My hope is for these girls to believe they can win every time they step on the floor no matter who is on the other side of the net. Helping the girls grow in their volleyball abilities is a small part of a bigger picture. One day volleyball will end, and I hope these girls have a lot more than volleyball fundamentals to show for all the time they’ve put in.”
Carthage graduated a strong senior class that featured two all-conference players from 2021’s 18-win team. Those two all-conference selections were Sydnee Duldolski and Olivia Bourgault. Dudolski led the team with 395 kills. Bourgault was tops for Carthage in digs with 371.
While the Tigers must replace their top hitter, the offense will have consistency at setter with Raven Probert returning for her senior year. Probert handed out 876 assists last year.
“We are so thrilled to have Raven returning this year. When it comes to replacing players who left a big mark on this program – It’s neat to see other girls step up in new ways,” Allmoslecher said. “Raven is an important component to our team’s success and is disciplined in everything she does. She is going to bring consistency to the court in her temperament, leadership, work ethic, and volleyball game. She is someone we can all count on, on and off the court.”
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Fellow seniors Abby Holderbaum and Mia De La Pena also return.
Holderbaum will play right side and outside hitter. She put down 129 kills last year.
“She (Holderbaum) brings a great intensity to our court and a big block as well,” Allmoslecher said. “She gets hype for her teammates and is an important leader for us. She is someone who steps on the floor ready to go every time.”
De La Pena is the team’s top returning player in terms of kills after she put down 135 kills as a junior. She will play in the middle.
“Mia got some varsity playing time towards the last half of last season and got a lot of great experience in her first district competition as well,” Allmoslecher said. “She played some outside for us, but may be moving back to the middle. She will be a key player in our offense.”
Riann Schwartz and Ava Bourgalt are two returning juniors who saw significant varsity action as sophomores.
Schwartz is a defensive specialist who had 268 serve receptions and 162 digs last year.
“Riann has been playing varsity since her freshman year,” Allmoslecher said. “As a junior, she has great experience to offer our team. The girls depend on her both in the back row and front row. She is vocal to our hitters and covers a lot of ground defensively. I love how scrappy she is.”
Bourgalt saw action in 60 of 98 sets last year. She will be a defensive specialist.
“Ava got quite a bit of varsity experience towards the end of the season last year as well, appearing in her first district tournament,” Allmoslecher said. “She has adjusted well to speeding up our passes and is a great asset to our back row.”
Seniors Kinley Adams (middle), Brielle Cartwright (outside), Kailyn Schultz (defensive specialist) along with sophomores Jaidyn Brunnert (setter) and Millie Templeman will be new players to watch on varsity.
Allmoslecher on Adams: “Kinley is new to the varsity court but you wouldn’t know it. Kinley is a strong middle hitter who brings a fresh intensity every time she steps on the floor. I am excited to see her thrive.”
Allmoslecher on Cartwright: “We are so thrilled to have Brielle back on the court this year. She took a year off to play tennis and will play a major role on our team as an outside hitter. She played club ball and has not missed a beat since her return.”
Allmoslecher on Schultz: “Jaidyn played freshman ball last year but has adapted well to the varsity court this summer. We have been working with her to run the floor as a setter and to be a strong asset in the front row as well. We are excited to see our young talent grow this year.”
Allmoslecher on Brunnert: “Kailyn is such a go-getter. She is passionate about doing her best and pushing herself. I am so excited to have her on the varsity court. Between her, Ava, and Riann, we are going to have a fun back row to watch. They are quite the trio.”
Allmoslecher on Templeman: “Millie is a key versatile player for us. She is someone we can place about anywhere on the court and she will rise to the occasion.”
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Bella Coy (sophomore), Peyton Ray (sophomore), Zye Clark (sophomore), and Hadlie Ralston (junior) also will be competing for time on varsity.
There will be several new players in key spots this year, but the 2022 version of the Carthage Volleyball team will go as the seniors do.
“Our biggest strength will be the fire this group has. We have a big group of seniors who are hungry to finish strong and compete. Our underclassmen are on board and eager to step on the floor and make a difference,” Allmoslecher said. “I am so excited for this senior class. They are a great group of girls who are so fun to be around. They continue to put in the hard work and lead well. Every single one of them brings something different to the court and they balance each other out well. I am hopeful that their senior year will be one to remember.”
Carthage will host a jamboree at 6 pm on Aug. 23 with Joplin, Nevada and Aurora. The Tigers will open the regular season on Aug. 27 at the Bentonville Tournament.
“Overall our expectations are high for the girls both on and off the court. We hold them to a high standard on the court, in the classroom, and just overall as human beings. We want Carthage Volleyball to represent the school, our community, and our friends and families well,” Allmoslecher said. “We plan to take it one game at a time — preparing, working hard, and trusting the process. We would love to see a district title in our future.”
