Junior outside hitter Elizabeth King has started to master the jump serve for Hampshire.
When executed properly, it can be a lethal weapon in a volleyball player’s arsenal. The high-risk, high-reward serve can make life a nightmare for the opposing back row, but there are drawbacks.
Because of that, it took time for new Whip-Purs coach Omar Cortez to trust King.
“I’ve seen her do it, but it’s building that consistency and her believing in herself and staying focused the entire time,” Cortez said. “It’s a work in progress, for sure.”
King has been using it to her advantage, including eight straight points in the second game of Thursday night’s 25-18, 21-25, 25-22 Fox Valley Conference loss to Burlington Central.
Four of those were aces by King, who helped to force a third game. Heading into a weekend tournament hosted by Hampshire, the 5-foot-11 King had produced 44 aces in 23 matches.
“First, I think of my toss,” King said. “My toss is the most important thing ever. I think about where I’m going to place the ball because it literally could go to the back wall or wherever.
“I really deep-dive think about it, and I just think, ‘It’s going in.’ It’s just a regular serve.”
In addition to the talent needed to execute that serve, King knew she had to earn the trust of Cortez, a club coach at Top Flight who also will be King’s club coach in the offseason.
That makes it even better.
“It’s good that I’ve built the relationship to show him that I can and that I am going to get the serve over and get an ace,” King said. “There’s always more.”
Add in a team-leading 131 kills, and that makes King one of the best players in the conference this season. She’s also garnering more and more college attention as the season goes on.
“She’s definitely a player that can play at a high level,” Cortez said. “She definitely has the potential to play at those top schools. Her biggest thing is having a little bit of control and learning how to adapt as a young athlete when the games get tight. She’s getting there though.
“There’s still a lot more she can offer the game. I think she’s only scratching the surface here.”
The same could be said of Hampshire’s seniors. The Whip-Purs (20-3, 6-2) went 5-0 Saturday to win the title of the tournament they hosted and have already exceeded last year’s win total.
Halfway through the schedule, they are also close to passing their nine conference wins in 2023. Two seasons before, they were under .500 and near the bottom of the conference standings.
What has led the resurgence?
“I think it’s Omar, actually,” King said. “He’s pushing us to our limits during practice. We work on everything imaginable. In games, he’s chill but he’s not, if that makes sense. He’s yelling at you in the nicest way possible.
“I’m so excited. We’ve turned everything around.”
Opposing coaches have taken notice, too. Hampshire avenged Thursday’s loss to Burlington Central with a 25-23, 25-17 win in the tournament Saturday.
“They’ve got Division I kids left and right,” Burlington Central coach Julia Smagacz said. “They’re a powerhouse.”
King has shown that she’s one of those players. She said colleges are coming around and she has been in contact with several, which is both stressful and exciting in her eyes.
“It’s like every emotion possible,” King said. “Like, you want to stop and then you’re like, ‘This is my future and I want to keep doing this.’ It’s kind of like, ‘Oh my goodness, there’s a school looking at me. This could be my future school.’
“It’s kind of nerve-wracking, but it’s fun.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
