Demons bringing new attitude

Last season, Julianna Berg was looking for the right competitive spirit out of her team.

So far this season, the Washington volleyball team has taken its head coach?s wishes to heart, and the team?s goals are set high.

After going 6-25 a season ago, the Demons appear to be well on their way to improving that overall record, as they stand at 4-13 (1-2 in Southeast Conference play) halfway through the season. While the current record isn?t quite where they want it long term, the mood around the team is much improved this season.

?My goal is to leave it all out on the court this year,? Washington senior Emma Stout said. ?Volleyball has always meant a lot to me, and I love my teammates. I?m excited for this season and have big expectations.?

With one month left in the season, Stout has cemented herself as a defensive leader on the team, with a team-high 65 digs on the season and is the only Demon to averaged more than two digs per set.

?She is throwing her self all over the place to get balls up,? Berg said. ?She?ll dive after balls and might only get a small touch on it, but it shows the other girls that they can get a touch on the ball.?

Stout is one of six seniors on the roster for the Demon volleyball team this season, and is making her mark not just by her play.

?(Emma) has done a great job stepping into a leadership role,? Berg said. ?What I love about her is that she is really passionate about the game. She really plays with that passion. As a senior and a leader, she is stepping up and talking to the other girls. She really is leading by example.?

Stout?s attitude has helped lead the team to take a different mindset in 2015, and has also influenced one of the newest members of the varsity squad, sophomore Megan Mitchell.

Mitchell has burst on to the scene as the Demons? main setter, with 106 assists this season, and 2.76 assists per set, and has received help from Stout, who played as the main Demon setter when she was a sophomore.

?I set as a sophomore for the varsity team and I?ve talked to her a lot this year and how much hard work she?s put into it,? Stout said. ?I know how hard she works, because I was there too. She earns it and leaves it all out there and is a great asset to the team.?

Mitchell played one set of action on the varsity squad during her freshman season, but as a regular fixture on the varsity softball squad over the summer, has seen action at the top level of high school play before. Even so, it?s a big role she is taking over as the setter, and she noted that it?s a learning process for her.

?I?m playing with people I?ve never played before, so that?s a challenge,? Mitchell said. ?They?ve all been nice to me and helped me, and they are really helping me with everything. If I ever have a question, they tell me what to do if I messed up. They help me with my sets and what I can do better.?

With success in the position early, Mitchell?s head coach has been impressed with her development, and her attitude to the role.

?It?s definitely a really difficult position to be put in to,? Berg said. ?You are basically the quarterback of the volleyball team, and you have to be aware of a lot of different things going on, on both your side of the court and the other side of the court. The awesome thing about Megan is that she has so much energy and is spunky and quick. She gets to almost every single ball and that?s awesome. She has such a great attitude and that?s what you want in a setter.?

The Demon sophomore has bought into the new attitude that Berg is looking to instill in the team this year, and said that the seniors have really spearheaded the effort.

?I think pretty much all of them are stepping up,? Mitchell said. ?Amber has been hitting well and Morgan has been working with me on different types of sets for her to hit. Emma is really good on defense, and pretty much everyone does their own part.?

With this new attitude, the Demons are looking high with their hopes this season, not just stopping with going .500 on the year.

?We wrote down goals that we want, and the biggest ones were a winning season and conference champs,? Mitchell said. ?I think with our seniors and who we have now, we can do it this year.?

The Demons will look to continue making steps toward a conference title by taking on Fort Madison at home on Tuesday evening. After picking up a conference victory against Keokuk last Tuesday, the Demons fell in six straight tournament matches in a tough tournament in Ottumwa, and will look to right the ship inside their home gym.

?We are all trying to stay positive and have good attitudes,? Stout said. ?It really helps when our student section comes, because it really lifts our spirits during the game.?

The match against the Bloodhounds is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.