Burlington blanks Washington in SEC openers

WASHINGTON — Washington and Burlington opened the 2021 Southeast Conference volleyball season Tuesday under new Demons head coach Aaron Six. The Demons lost their home opener 3-0 to Burlington.

Six is in his second stint as the Demons head coach.

“When I heard who the new coach was, I knew his volleyball background, so we came in expecting them to be better,” Burlington coach Amber Taeger said. “I noticed they seemed to be a more disciplined team. He has got them more put together.”

More put together did not equal a set win as the Grayhounds secured a 25-17, 25-19, 25-18 victory.

The Demons started hot in the third set and took a 4-1 lead, but a timeout by Taeger resulted in a 16-6 lead.

“Sometimes they just need to think about getting past this one point,” she said. “Once they get past that then they can get on a roll.”

Washington reacted with its own run getting a block from Alex Murphy and kills from Audrey Anderson and Kenializ Espinosa.

Taeger called timeout, ahead 20-17.

”We think have to say big things, but what we have gotten in the habit of doing is focusing on the little things,“ Taeger said of her timeout talks. "Sometimes it is best not giving them a big idea, instead just a small plan.”

The Grayhounds finished the match with a 5-1 roll.

“I thought our front outsides improved, but early on we were not covering the tip,” Six said. “Some of those little things we need to do to stop a rally or allow us to continue a rally.”

Lauren Hinrichsen and Haley Mitchell combined for 10 assists to help Demon teammate Murphy hit seven kills. Espinosa hit three kills. Ava Turner had seven digs and Mitchell three.

Anderson “had a good night and was aggressive” in her first varsity action, Six said. She had five kills, two digs and two ace serves.

Washington plays at a tournament in Anamosa Saturday.

"I thought that the girls played hard and that is what we need, that effort, that push and we need it every time,“ Six said. ”I loved the hustle out of everybody.“

The Demons have floor burns, bumps and bruises from the fight and effort they put out. But some of the hustle was needed to make up for being out of position.

“We have to be sure we are in the right spot, and if we can do that, it will help us out offensively,” Six said. “We are trying to put people in the right positions to play the best volleyball that we can.”