Bloomfield volleyball team battles through schedule

The last thing Bloomfield volleyball coach Susie Schulte wanted this season was a repeat of last season when the Lady Cards finished 11-22.

Bloomfield entered play last Thursday 2-4. They were facing an Owen Valley squad which had already beaten Union this season. Two days later the Cards would travel to West Vigo to play in an invitational against North Knox and West Vigo, both good programs.

The Cards won all three matches to climb above .500 at 5-4, the record they'll take into tonight's home match against North Central.

"Considering where we were and the schedule we've played, we're much better than we were at this time last year," Schulte said.

Bloomfield's losses have not come to any slouches. The list includes state-ranked Terre Haute South and Barr-Reeve as well as 4A schools Martinsville and Bedford North-Lawrence.

"We played Terre Haute South and Martinsville much better this year even though we lost to them," Schulte noted.

Bloomfield's next four matches are at home against some pretty good competition, starting Thursday against Sullivan. They host Union next Monday and Washington later in the week.

"I don't want to say too much about what I think our record can be because it's still too early," Schulte said. "I will say that in this stretch over the next few weeks we have a shot at winning some matches."

Schulte said during the preseason that she planned to use all 10 players on the varsity roster and would go with a 5-1 offense, using junior Miranda Helms as the lone setter. Both plans have worked so far.

"I was a little nervous at first about using 10 players, but it's worked out well," Schulte said. "We run circuits in practice where the kids can kind of specialize. They all deserve playing time and we have a lot of players who are pretty even in talent."

The only players on the floor for a full rotation are Helms, senior middle hitter Whitney Warrick and sophomore passing specialist Jessica Veatch.

"So far the 5-1 is working so I don't have any problem with the way Helms is playing," Schulte said. "This is Warrick's first year to play all the way around and she's done a great job. Veatch plays all the way around, but her main thing is to pass."

Schulte says that all 10 players know what their roles are and that the team chemistry is good.

"The kids all get along, it's just a good group," she said. "They haven't been intimidated by anyone we've played and we've played some pretty good teams."

The Cards are right in the thick of the conference race with a 2-0 record. Bloomfield, Linton and Union are the only teams without any conference losses. Bloomfield's match with Union next Monday will be the Cards first big SWIAC match of the season.