By RICH FISHER
Contributing Editor
No matter how much experience or inexperience the Donovan Catholic, Toms River, girls volleyball team has, one goal remains the same.
“We always have the same off-the-court goals – to represent ourselves, our family, our parish and our community as Catholic athletes. Tradition-rich in both our faith, and the best practices of being great people,” coach Glenn Jansen said. “So that goal never changes.”
As for on the court, the aims are somewhat altered with an inexperienced team, which Donovan has after graduating eight seniors from a squad that went 27-4 and reached the Shore Conference Tournament finals and NJSIAA Non-Public A semifinals last year.
“The goal is to improve each day, each week, each month,” Jansen said. “It’s tough to expect to be 27-4 the year after you graduate eight seniors, two who went to play in college.”
That doesn’t mean the Griffins don’t have high hopes.
“The goals remain confident – compete in the Shore Conference, win the division, advance in the state tournament; I just think it will be a little harder,” Jansen continued. “You’re gonna have to dig a little deeper. The players have to be receptive to being coached hard and trying new things and being open to change and feedback. And there has to be desire.”
There seems to be all of that so far, as Donovan is off to a 6-1 start with just three veteran starters in its eight-girl rotation. The Griffins also won the high-caliber Moorestown Invitational Sep. 5 by going 11-0 on the day.
“A lot of prognosticators wrote us off but we’ve had a great start,” said Jansen, whose team’s lone loss was 2-1 to Barnegat Sep. 25.
The returning starters are senior Brooke Bowbliss (140 assists) and Brianna Klohn (48 kills, 45 digs). Bowbliss is a three-year starter who moved from middle to center and, as a 6-foot plus lefthander, she provides several setting advantages. Klohn moved from the right to outside hitter.
A third “returning” starter is actually a transfer, as junior Sofia D’arcangelo (91 digs) transferred from Toms River South after earning All-Shore honors at libero last year.
Seniors Hannah Terzian and Mia Payton play middle and defensive specialist, respectively, although Payton is out with a torn ACL suffered at a prospect camp.
“Mia’s kind of the heart and soul of the team but has continued to lead with her heart and be there and be supportive,” Jansen said. “She’s kind of like an assistant coach.”
Junior outside Amelia “Millie” Kaleda has burst on the scene with a team-high 69 kills, while sophomore middle blocker Emaleigh Alborn has been a defensive force at the net. Two others who rotate in are junior defensive specialist Taylor Leary (team-high 26 aces) and her partner, sophomore Maddy Terzian (Hannah’s sister), another strong net defender.
Donovan’s loss to an outstanding Barnegat team was close throughout as the scores were 26-24, 19-25 and 25-22. It gets no easier next week as the Griffins play perennial Shore Conference and state powers Southern, St. John Vianney and Pinelands.
“By next Friday we’ll know a lot more about who we are,” Jansen said. “It’s the crossroads for us, the litmus test, whatever you want to call it. We’ll see where we are, who we are. We’ll learn what we have to get better at as we get toward the postseason. It’s an important part of our progression.”
It’s progression that Jansen hopes is slow but steady. He has backloaded the schedule to play more matches in the second half of the season so the team can work on things in practice during the first month.
“I knew we had a tremendous amount of talent on this team, but we didn’t have a lot of time with that talent together,” the coach said. “Our mantra for the season is to get one percent better together every day. If you can do that, by the end of the season you’re gonna be a team unrecognizable to people who saw us in August. The team has embraced that moniker and has risen to the challenge.”