Plasters' consistent play key for James Wood volleyball team

WINCHESTER — After discussing the details of the James Wood volleyball team's first win over Millbrook in five years on Sept. 26, first-year head coach Jaime Terenzi began rattling off her stat leaders.

After mentioning that senior setter Hanna Plasters had 30 assists, she stopped herself to double-check.

"I really just want to make sure that's right, because that seems like an awful lot," Terenzi said.

Terenzi tallied the marks in her head, then later checked with her assistant coach just to make sure. In reality though, Terenzi wasn't all that surprised by the number.

"The Millbrook match was just amazing," said Terenzi in a phone interview four days after the match. "Every time she rotated out, I was like, 'Oh boy.' [James Wood sophomore setter] Katey Matthews did a great job, but when you have that consistent setter in there you don't want to throw a wrench in it at all."

In its biggest match of the year, Plasters once again was the player James Wood counted on to keep its attack running smoothly.

That's been the case ever since Plasters became the Colonels' primary setter late in her sophomore year, her first season on the varsity.

Plasters ranked seventh in the area in assists in 2017 with 232 assists. In 2018, she moved up to third with 371 assists, an average of 15.4 per match.

James Wood (14-2, 9-0 Class 4 Northwestern District) has only played two matches that have lasted longer than three sets this year, and has two two-set matches on its ledger as a result of playing in the Loudoun Valley tournament. Despite that — and the loss of three of the Colonels' top four kills leaders from last year — Plasters has increased her assists per match to 15.8 this year and leads the area with 252 assists, 77 more than anyone else.

"She's always been a very good setter," said Terenzi, who has known Plasters since she coached her with the Blue Ridge Volleyball club team four years ago. "She has great hands. She's a very consistent setter, and she has a great rapport with her hitters. They trust her."

Plasters first started playing volleyball in seventh grade with Frederick County Middle School. She gravitated toward setter because of her height — she stands 5 feet, 6 inches tall — and she came to love it because of the responsibility that comes with the position.

"I just love guiding my team," Plasters said. "By setting I know I can run the plays and tell [my teammates] what I want them to do."

Plasters said her confidence grew as her playing time increased as a sophomore, and she helped her teammates shine as a junior. Three James Wood front-row players earned all-district honors last year, each of whom ranked in the top 13 in kills last year.

This season, James Wood's hitters have continued to punish opponents even though junior outside hitter Grace Frigaard was the only returning player with more than 100 kills last year.

This year, the Colonels have an impressive four players among the area's top seven in kills — junior outside hitter Kristyna Van Sickler (second, 136), Frigaard (third, 103), junior right side Lainie Putt (fifth, 91) and senior middle blocker Olivia Biggs (seventh, 85). Senior middle blocker Katie Costin is also having a strong season, ranking 14th in the area with 53 kills.

"I had a lot of confidence [in this year's hitters]," Plasters said. "I knew we had a lot of juniors that were good hitters who would flll the positions of the seniors that left."

As evidenced by those kill numbers, Plasters does a good job of keeping opponents on their toes.

"I try to set people in a way that the other team doesn't know exactly where I'm going to go," Plasters said. "I like spreading it around."

Terenzi said she doesn't need a perfect pass to do that.

"What I've noticed about her is how well she runs the court," Terenzi said. "She puts up a really good ball even when she's out of system and even when she's on the run. She's been able to put up a really, really good ball even in dire situations."

Biggs — who also plays with Plasters on the Potomac Elite club team out of Ranson, W.Va., that Plasters joined three years ago — said Plasters inspires not only with her hustle, but also her attitude. Plasters, Biggs and junior Alyssah McGuire are the team's three captains.

"She's very energetic and fun to be around," said Biggs of Plasters. "She's always supportive whenever I've played with her. She's always boosting people up."

In pressurized matches like the one against Millbrook, it's not always easy to keep your teammates' spirits strong, much less your own. James Wood needed five sets to snap an 11-match losing streak against Millbrook, and the Pioneers actually held a match point before James Wood won the final three points to win 17-15.

"I was stressed at points, but I always confident in our team," Plasters said.

Plasters did her part not only with her setting, but also her defense and serving. She also contributed six digs (Plasters ranks third on the team with 51). She also served up two balls in a row — one an ace — that Millbrook couldn't return over the net in the fifth set to give the Colonels a 12-11 lead. Plasters ranks eighth in the area with 28 aces.

James Wood lost the fourth set and trailed for much of the fifth set, but the players feel their close bond this year is one of the reasons why they were able to pull out the match.

"Even though [the players] are in three different grades, I feel like this is the closest I've ever been with a team for my three years," Plasters said. "I just think that this year, everyone is one."

With Plasters setting the tone. Sophomore Matthews — who ranks fourth in the area with 154 assists — said Plasters has definitely played a role in helping her become a better setter.

"She's just a good leader and always helps us," Matthews said. "She always has good energy."

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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