The Tigard volleyball team joined the Three Rivers League a decade ago, and has had some pretty rough seasons in what is often regarded as one of the top leagues in the state.
However, Tigard is coming off its most successful season in recent memory and Head Coach Jesse Abell thinks his team this year is ready to build off their 2023 campaign in which the Tigers went 10-11 overall and 6-6 in league play.
“We’re finally going to be competitive,” he said. “We’re going to do well this year.”
Tigard joined Three Rivers League in 2014, and won six games twice and seven games once in its first four years in the league. Since 2018, Tigard’s highest win total in league play was three games, which the Tigers did once.
The Tigers are off to a strong start this year. As of our press deadline, they’re 5-1 and ranked ninth in the state by the Oregon School Activities Association. However, the schedule is about to get harder as league play is about to start.
A big reason Abell thinks his team is ready to compete in Three Rivers League is their depth and consistency.
“Every single of them is a Tigard kid who grew up and has played all their time at Tigard,” Abell said. “All of them have been here putting in time and working to get better. It’s all them.”
Abell said that includes training and playing together in the offseason, including a sand volleyball season when the school season isn’t going on. They’ve also come up through the program together.
“They’re the difference from a few years ago when we were winning two games,” he said. “The results are showing on the court right now.”
That can add some difficulty to game days, Abell said, but it’s a welcome problem.
“We can go 13, 14, 15 kids deep into our bench,” he said. “We have 15 girls on the team and they can all play. It doesn’t drop off very much. It can be hard to find playing time for 15 players, though.”
It also helps to have some returning players who saw a lot of playing time last year, such as junior libero Addy Witt, who was named to the Three Rivers League All-League team last season.
“She’s already having a great season,” Abell said. “She’s been super dynamic for us, especially on defense, and she’s really stepped up as a captain and a team leader.”
Outside hitter Hailey Gustafson is another key returning player for Tigard, as the junior was named to the All-Three Rivers League second team last year. She is joined by junior Jacky Godard, who plays outside hitter and opposite hitter. Godard was an honorable mention for all-league last year.
The two are off to impressive starts to the season upfront for the Tigers, Abell said.
He also senior Sloan Sanders has been a big reason for the fast start to the year because of her versatility.
“She has played a little outside, a little inside, a little back row,” Abell said. “She can do everything. She’s keeping balls alive that other kids can’t get to.”
The main players in charge of getting the balls to all those hitters have been setters Ainsley Snider and Brooklynn Peer, both juniors.
“They’re both playing a lot and are both doing a good job delivering hittable balls for us,” Abell said.
In addition to Witt, Abell said senior Adelaide Cardenas has really carved out a role on the team as of its top defensive players.
“She’s phenomenal,” he said. “Already this season, she has changed some games for us coming in.”
Another player Abell said he has to find more playing time for is senior Malia Fehr.
“She’s a leader during practice,” he said. “She’s behind two really good hitters. We’re going to get her on the court and she’s going to make a lot of really good things happen when she gets her chances.”
It’s because of that depth that Abell thinks this season and beyond the Tigers are going to field some strong teams even in a stacked Three Rivers League.
“It’s because of the time they’ve put in,” he said. “We’re trying to build a program. Instead of having three kids who are decent players, we want a bunch of kids I’m trying to figure out how to get them on the court. It’s a nice place to be.”
