Now 10-0 and ranked fifth in state by MaxPreps, the section's top-rated team is gearing up for its next road challenge, a trip Thursday to face Clovis North, who ended the Patriots’ season last year in the opening round of the D-I playoffs.
“The kids are excited to get back there because we lost in four and didn't do very well,” said second-year Liberty coach Morgan Dake. “So with my eight returners, they’re all really pumped to get back in that gym, and kind of prove them wrong a little bit and do better. So they want some redemption.”
The Broncos, which lost in the D-I final last year to Clovis West, have played just two matches this year — winning both.
“They’re the biggest mystery,” said Dake of Clovis North. “So when I look at their roster, I think it’s going to be the same team as last year, with more experience. We are all really excited to go to Clovis North to play them, just because you don’t know what to expect; but at the same time, you know they’re going to be a great team.”
The Patriots are pretty good themselves.
Liberty has won 24 of 27 sets this season, sweeping eight of its opponents, including a 3-0 victory over Fresno-Central in its only home game of the season last Thursday.
“It worked out because our football team was on a bye last week so all the top (athletes) at our school were there,” said Dake of the 25-13, 25-20, 25-17 win in front of a rowdy home crowd. “So it was a really fun environment and just really cool for the girls for that to be our first home match. And they hung with us the whole time. With three sets, sometimes it can get a little boring ... but they made it really fun.”
Having fun while sustaining that competitive edge is the biggest challenge for Dake.
After season-opening victories over San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande, she arranged for the team to stay an extra night in close quarters at a local Airbnb.
“I like to make it as competitive as we can be, but at the same time, you’re getting to know different people,” Dake said. “So we all got to stay together, so it was cramped, and they had to sleep in the dining room and all bundled up and all together. We ate every meal together. We travel everywhere in two vans or on buses.”
Dake also organized the Liberty Volleyball Amazing Race, which included the frosh-soph and junior varsity teams, dividing the 40 players into 10 teams for a day of challenges and races that included making “clucking” noises as they ate a piece of chicken — without using their hands — and dressing in self-designed costumes.
“Just embarrassing stuff,” Dake said. “Little things like that, that’s kind of what high school sports are all about, that camaraderie.”
Liberty has also enjoyed itself on the court.
With eight returning players, led by last year’s BVarsity All-Area Defensive Player of the Year, Paige Sentes, and a group of talented freshmen, the Patriots have been playing at a high level.
That was particularly true in the team’s second victory over Clovis West on Aug. 27. After edging the Golden Eagles 28-26 in the opening set, Liberty cruised to a 25-15 win to close out the match and tournament championship.
“The first set of the finals was back-and-forth, and the second set we just kind of took over,” Dake said. “It was like we finally got our middles … our right sides involved. It was like we were firing on all cylinders. So it was really nice to see. They pulled off a really good match in that second set. It was fun to watch.”
Returning all-area seniors Grace Witcher and Emma Fredrick have led the way offensively, averaging 9.4 kills per game — with junior Maya Barron as starting setter and freshman Sophie Dean providing support during 6-2 alignments. Seniors Kamryn Briggs and Halle Rodriguez are two other key returners.
But the Patriots’ defense is what has really impressed Dake.
Sentes, a senior, has led the way with 10.4 digs per game, and the team has also received strong contributions from sophomore libero Ashton Rogers.
“Defensively, we’re really hard to beat with those two, combined with my outsides,” said Dake. The team is also getting 2.9 blocks per game from senior Camryn Perdue. “Defensively, we’re pretty good.”
With a solid core of returning players, the wild card has been the play of Liberty’s group of underclassmen, many of which had a busy summer playing at national tournaments for local club teams.
Dean was part of a Bakersfield Volleyball Club 14U team that finished third at the national tournament, with Rogers, freshman Eliya Dev, sophomore Lauren Weis, and Paige Sentes’ sophomore sister, Mia, all playing for the Bakersfield Volleyball Club’s 15U team that placed 13th at nationals. Freshman Mikenlie Vandborg played for DartFrog’s 14U squad.
“This group coming in is pretty good, but you never know how they’re going to be,” Dake said. “I mean I have eight returners, and they're all great players. So I didn’t know how they’d stack up to my returners. But they fit right in. I was really surprised, and obviously excited about it.”
An abundance of talent has made for some highly competitive practices, Dake said, and that’s just the way she likes it.
“It’s just a really fun gym environment,” Dake said. “You know that when you step in you just know that you’re always going to be challenged in practice. It’s just an easy way for the girls to get better. Because it’s not like we have an A team and a B team. We mix them all together so you’re seeing kids going against other best kids in town. So every single day it challenges them to get better, which obviously is what you want as a coach.”
With the early success, Dake’s main concern has been fighting off potential complacency, especially as the team prepares to play in the Durango Fall Classic in Henderson, Nev., which will feature many of the top teams from California and surrounding states.
“Obviously, as a coach you plan for that,” said Dake of keeping her team grounded. “We actually kind of talked about it (Wednesday), just not being complacent with where we’re at. Because it’s very hard when you’re in this position. You won a big tournament, you beat a good Clovis West twice, so it’s hard to go kind of back in day after day and retain that competitiveness when you’re tired and sore and all the things a season brings. So finding ways to make them not complacent and look for the larger goal, which I think is winning valley is that for us.”
To get there, Dake understands she’ll have to navigate through many obstacles, including a number of other talented Kern County teams.
“The teams in town have talent,” said Dake, whose team will host Bakersfield Christian on Wednesday before heading to Nevada tournament. “A lot of it is young talent, so you never know, they could catch us off-guard if we get too complacent. You can’t overlook anyone.”