STEADFAST SIX: Redbank Valley Volleyball Team Shining With Group of Six Rotation Players

KARNS CITY, Pa. (EYT/D9) — There’s no looking to the bench for a break.

No quick respite to grab a drink of water and wait for the rotation to return them to the court.

It’s all six of them. All match long.

Three sets or five. Doesn’t matter.

In an age of specialization in high school volleyball, the Redbank Valley sextet of senior Izzy Bond, juniors Mylee Harmon, Kira Bonanno and Taylor Ripple, sophomore Addy Bond and freshman Elaina Carrico never come off the floor.

(Pictured above, from left, Taylor Ripple, Mylee Harmon and Izzy Bond have been a fierce threesome at the net for the Bulldogs, who have six players who never come off the floor)

“I’m very proud of our team for having six people that just play all the way around, no libero or anything,” Ripple said. “It’s pretty great considering the fact that all the other teams have big teams and a big bench with lots of people dressing. They have a libero and they sub. But it’s just the six of us, working together.”

It can be a double-edged sword.

It’s great, as Harmon put it, for chemistry. It’s not so great during epic five-set matches like the ones Redbank Valley played on back-to-back nights this week against Clarion-Limestone and Cranberry.

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.

Thursday night’s sweep over Karns City was a welcome one, but also wasn’t a breeze.

After cruising to a 25-11 win in the first game, the second and third sets came right down to the end with the Bulldogs surviving 28-26 and 25-22 to finish off the gritty Gremlins.

“We were like, ‘Hey, no matter what tonight, we’re not going five sets,’” said Ripple, laughing.

Having a sextet of six rotation players also presents Redbank Valley coach Ashley Anderson with a bit of a conundrum.

While filling out the starting lineup card is easy, strategically it can pose some problems.

“At this point, I use my timeouts for water breaks,” Anderson said. “They’re in there 100% of the time. All six of them.”

And all six have eclectic skills.

It’s been the big three at the net, though, in Izzy Bond, Ripple and Harmon who have made their presence particularly known this season.

That trio has been piling up the kills as all three are averaging more than 10 per match.

Ripple had 12, Izzy Bond 11 and Harmon nine against Karns City.

The key has been the emergence of Carrico at setter, who again had a strong night with 24 assists against the Gremlins.

Harmon was the primary setter last season for the Bulldogs before being asked to become much more of an attacking threat this year.

“I mean, at the beginning I was pretty rusty,” Harmon said, grinning. “I didn’t know how it was gonna go and I kind of wanted to go back to setter because I thought I was better there. But as it’s been going in practice and in games, I’m getting more confidence and we have a good setter in Elaina. Shout out to her because she does an amazing job.”

During the preseason, though, the big question was who would fill that setter position?

Until Carrico seized her opportunity.

“She’s really stepped up,” Izzy Bond said. “I mean, a freshman coming in starting varsity is always nerve racking, but I think she’s been a very big asset to the team.”

Ripple said she was feeling a bit uneasy this offseason, wondering who would be in that all-important position of setter.

After all, a hitter can’t hit without a good set.

“We were kind of nervous during summer league and she came in and I saw her and I was like, ‘Oh, wait, we have a new setter who is really good and who we can connect with,’” Ripple said. “She’s handled varsity well.”

Ripple has especially shined this season, in large part because of her ability to take swings from away from the net.

Ripple has a knack of hitting from just behind the 10-foot line.

“I’m getting more confident at that,” Ripple said. “I’ve been to a lot of camps and colleges and they’ve taught me how to do a bunch of different things.”

The three primary attackers are also very efficient.

They rarely make errors.

That has made the Bulldogs a tough out this season. Redbank took a set from Clarion — the first set against a Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference foe the Bobcats have lost since 2019.

Redbank negotiated a very challenging week, losing in five to undefeated Clarion-Limestone on Monday before bouncing back to topple very tough Cranberry in five on Tuesday.

“We have another tough week coming up, another three-match week (against Keystone, North Clarion and Clarion-Limestone again),” Anderson said. “But we’ve been working hard and it’s showing.”

And the steadfast six have been jelling.

“What I love most about our team is we can all do whatever,” Harmon said. “Five of us also play basketball and we’ll be the five starters. So we always feel like we know what our next move is going to be.”

Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.