Vikings' libero dives right in on defense
Siuslaw junior libero Maci Wells (3) has become a major weapon for the state-championship-bound Vikings. When junior libero Maci Wells takes a dive, good things generally happen for the Far West League volleyball champion Siuslaw Vikings.
"Maci played awesome on defense, she played really well," Siuslaw coach Jon Hornung said Tuesday, following the Vikings 3-1 playoff victory over the Douglas Trojans at North Bend High School.
"She played basically like she had nothing to lose. She just went for everything."
The Vikings were hitting on all cylinders against the Trojans, with an imposing block, emphatic outside hitting and some fine defense from the back row, led by the team's 5-foot-1, golden-topped libero.
The Coos Bay World credited Wells with 25 digs, and it could have been more. The Vikings block was so formidable, a lot of Douglas swings were met with strong resistance at the net.
When the ball did get past the first line of defense, Wells, Brittany Long, Abby Watkins and others were on duty to thwart the Trojans' offense.
"The huge thing was our communication on the court," Wells said. "We were communicating really good. Our blocks were like crazy tonight.
"We played scrappy, and, overall, it was really good, our communication."
Defense has been a special emphasis since the Vikings lost in four sets at Douglas in the final week of league play.
"Every practice has been like defense, defense, defense," Hornung said. "Staying home on defense. And communicating, the big thing: Getting these girls to talk to each other."
The Vikings were talking with words and deeds, with Wells remarkable as she buzzed around the court.
"Maci was getting things up, like randomly," Hornung said. "Diving, with her arm, and getting the ball up in the air. It was fun to see. That's exactly like how I'd like a libero to play."
Hornung knows libero, and speaks it fluently. He played the position when it was first introduced to the sport at the turn of the century.
"They had just invented it," Hornung laughed, recalling his playing days. "It was right before the wheel was invented, and color TV came along. They said 'Hey, there's this thing called libero.'"
To say that Wells is a feisty player is like saying it's windy in Florence. She has often played against her best interests, wanting in the lineup despite a cranky knee.
"I've had knee problems for awhile, and it just gets hurt," Wells said. "But it's good now. And I'm glad it was for these games, because it was exciting."
Hornung has insisted his libero sit when he knows she's hurting.
"We notice when her knee was hurting because she winced a lot," Hornung said. "And you can tell, if she doesn't dive for every single thing, she's hurting."
But she appears healthy now, just as the Vikings appear to be in fine form as the state playoffs near.
"Having her back there is a weapon, because they can't get the ball past her," Hornung said. "She just goes nuts, plays just awesome defense."
And then good things happen, like a league title and a trip to state.
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