M-ette Volleyball returns eight seniors

The Malta M-ettes look fierce this year, with eight or their 13 varsity players beings a part of this year's senior class.

Among those starters is first team all-conference athlete Darby Schye and second all conference athletes Larimie Scheffelmear and Kelsey Kuehn.

The M-ettes were third in 2B volleyball, and lost out in the divisional round to Fairfield and Choteau.

"Last year I had one senior and this year eight," said Coach Julia Tatafu. "We have the experience and the mental toughness that comes with being a senior."

She went on to say the game is 80% mental.

"We have a good group of girls," she said. "They play well together and they're athletic."

Kourtney Simonson will return as the team's libero, or defensive specialist.

Markelle Lett shined last year as the team's setter and will retain her position.

Coach Tatafu isn't 100 percent sure about who will be her hitters this year, but between Schye, Scheffelmear, Kuehn and Kayla and Kaycee Howard, Malta should be set.

"I'm not sure who my hitters will be. That might change from week to week," Coach Tatafu said. "Because of my big group of seniors and my talented group of juniors."

The team does have a very athletic group of juniors, including Adrianna "Abba" Bibeau, Mary Grace Kalal and Kaitlyn Smith.

She (Kaitlyn Smith) is coming along. She can hit too, man that girl can jump," said Coach Tatafu.

The team had a very competitive first week of practice where they had over thirty girls tryout for spots on the varsity, junior varsity and c-squad.

Through those practices they found a few diamonds, most notably freshman Sam Mitchell who will be the youngest member of the varsity team.

"She's got excellent ball handling skills," said Coach Tatafu. "She can pass well, she can serve well and she can set well."

Mitchell's skills as a player was a pleasant surprise for Tatafu, who never saw Mitchell coming.

"Sam was a surprise to me. She did well in tryouts and was one of our top point getters in tryouts," Coach Tatafu said.

When asked about their schedule and who they wanted to play the most, one word summed it all up.

"Glasgow," Coach Tatafu said. "They've got a good program. They've got a great group of girls and they always come out with a great team."

Glasgow won the district last year and even though they will be without their standout athletes Megan Dailey and Abby Dalby due to graduation, they still have a few excellent returners.

"They'll push us," she continued. "And I'm excited that we will be pushed."

She went on to say the team is also excited to play Plentywood who was the runner up in district 2B.

The team is excited about the Chinook Invitational due to the fact they will see many divisional opponents right away.

"We get to see opponents from the other side of the state," Tatafu said. "We get to see Cut Bank Shelby and Conrad.

DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME

Aug. 18 First Practice Malta HS TBA

30 Malta Invitational Malta 9:00

Sept. 5-6 Chinook Invitational Chinook TBA

9 Chinook Malta 4:30

11 Harlem Harlem 4:00

13 Poplar Malta 1:00

18 Glasgow Glasgow 4:00

20 Plentywood Malta 1:00

25 FR/JV Saco Saco 5:00

26-27 Dickinson Invitational ND TBA

Oct. 2 Wolf Point Wolf Point 4:00

7 Chinook Chinook 4:30

10 Harlem Malta 4:00

11 Plentywood Plentywood 1:00

13 FR/JV vs. Saco Malta 5:00

15 Wolf Point Malta 3:00

16 Glasgow Malta 1:00

24 Poplar Poplar 4:00

25 Roundup - Senior Night Malta 1:00

30-31-Nov1 D.2B Tourney Plentywood TBA

6-8 N. B Div. Tourney Choteau TBA

13-15 Class B State Tourney MSU-Bozeman TBA