3 takeaways: Wellington volleyball hands Royal Palm Beach first loss

WELLINGTON — Wellington volleyball put a halt to the train that has been Royal Palm Beach’s unexpected start, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the young season on Thursday night.

The Wolverines opened up with back-to-back dominant sets before taking the 3-1 match victory 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 25-22.

Royal Palm (5-1) found their footing in the later sets after an injury benched one of their starters in the first game, but Thursday’s strong showing from Jenna Larsen and Liliana Oppo wasn’t enough to maintain the Wildcats’ flawless record.

Earlier this week, Wellington (5-2) head coach Billy Irmiter announced the Wolverines’ season goal of returning to the district championship.

The home squad continued to take steps in that direction on Thursday, overcoming a few bumps in the road en route to a solid victory against a streaking team.

Free: Check out our high school sports newsletter!

Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s volleyball action.

Jenna Larsen shines for Wildcats 

Of 10 players on the active roster, seven members of Royal Palm’s squad are upperclassmen, representing a driving force of experience on a team that’s already posted an unexpected 5-1 record.

“A lot of senior leadership,” Royal Palm head coach Jessica Buck said. “My captain, Jenna Larsen, she has done a good job of leading this team.”

Larsen was a dominant force in Thursday’s contest.

Even from a losing side, the senior outside hitter and defensive specialist affected every facet of the game — apart from key kills that kept the Wildcats competitive, she acted as a superb set-up player in the backline.

Rather than take credit where at least some credit is clearly due, Larsen pointed toward freshman Leslie Mentor and junior transfer Skye Zwirner as exciting additions to the team.

She also talked about what she would like to see from her squad moving forward.

“I definitely want to see us really play together and bond as a team,” Larsen said. “Attack as much as we can. As long as the passes are there, I think we have such a strong offense we can bring to this season.”

And should Royal Palm meet Wellington again later on, Larsen believes it will be a very different outcome.

“Today wasn’t our best showing,” she said. “But I think definitely, when we come back, we’re going to hit this team so much harder than we did this time.”

Wellington freshman has been 'a rock star'

Much of Wellington’s success can be attributed to the dynamic quartet of Madeline Lee, Tegan Miller, Ava Rodgers and Brielle Dorish.

But the upperclassmen aren’t the only difference-makers.

In fact, one Wolverine in particular — the youngest of the pack — already has drawn big praise from Irmiter and his staff.

Jillian St. Leger may not have the benefit of years of experience, but she’s already proving that age isn’t everything.

“The first day when she came out to open gym, she showed that she was just different,” Irmiter said. “You don’t see that a lot — especially as a freshman, to see someone with that natural raw talent, a great attitude, and positive energy. You don’t get that a lot.”

Having played volleyball for just three years since a switch from gymnastics, St. Leger feels she has found her niche on the court, learning from the older girls around her as they embrace the newest Wolverine.

“I love learning from all of the older girls and being in this environment where I get to experience these girls that are so good playing,” St. Leger said. “It just helps me get a lot better.”

That growth has come fast and is already paying dividends for Wellington’s program.

“I knew I would be doing a disservice by not putting her on the varsity team, and she’s been helping us in every capacity in that back row — especially today as libero,” Irmiter said. “She’s just a rock star and she’s just one person that my team would not be 'my team' without."

Royal Palm Beach morale not marred by loss       

The Wildcats’ winning streak may have come to an end in humbling fashion, but that doesn’t take away from Royal Palm’s fast start.

“It’s just been a lot of teamwork,” Buck said. “A lot of group effort from the staff, the players. We started strong and still are going strong. I don’t take this game against us. Yes, it’s a lot. But we know we’ll see them again.”

Wins against Olympic Heights, Seminole Ridge, John I. Leonard, Forest Hill and Glades Day preceded Thursday’s loss, so Royal Palm has plenty of positives to draw from.

The Wildcats have dropped just four total sets among those games. And while Palm Beach Central and Park Vista have temporarily leapfrogged Royal Palm in the district standings, Buck knows her players will respond well.

Thursday’s loss included a few miscues that followed the loss of one of their starters to an early injury, but as the evening wore on, the team’s communication and consistency on the court noticeably improved.

“Overall, I’m happy with how we ended, but knowing that we could take that game to five,” Buck said. “I think we’re a little bit more confident than we were in years past.”

Royal Palm will look to get back on track in the win column when they host Palm Beach Gardens on Monday.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Wellington volleyball hands Royal Palm Beach first loss: 3 takeaways