ARBUCKLE, CA (MPG) – For the past two seasons, Pierce has had one of the youngest lineups in the county. But that has changed in 2023, as the squad has six seasoned veterans that will set the tone as the Bears look to improve upon last years’ fifth place finish in the Sacramento Valley League.
It is that maturity that Pierce, and the team’s new head coach Lauren Ornbaun, hope will give the Bears an edge this time around.
“A main strength of this team is a level-headed mindset,” said Ornbaun, who has taken the reins of her former team. “It’s a very mature team, and I have leaders in positions that will help direct the team as a whole.”
One of the players Ornbaun will count on in that capacity is senior Jamie Figueroa, a three-year starter, who in statistics from 43 sets last year, averaged three assists per set and was tops on the team in service points.
While Figueroa will set in the 6-2 rotation, she will also hit and be joined in the front row by fellow senior Ωand captain, Maggie Reyna.
Reyna, who holds down the middle and led the team in blocks in 2022, will work in conjunction with three seniors on the outside, including Ysabel Charter, Hailey Regnani and Laura Rivera.
Regnani was the Bears’ leader in kills a season ago, while Charter and Rivera, two other returners, will be counted upon to hit and with their height, boost the effectiveness of the block.
Others with front row roles are senior Liliana Huerta at the pin, as well as juniors Maicey Hoebel, in the middle, and setter Celeste Medina.
Another new face, sophomore Magali Jauregui, makes her varsity debut and provides not only another setting option, but increased athleticism for Pierce as well.
Anchoring the Bears’ back row is one of the county’s best players in junior libero Macey Myers, who will also serve as a team captain.
Myers has, without question, earned her place among the list of formidable Pierce liberos from the past, having averaged 13.1 digs and 18.2 service receptions per match over her previous two seasons, in addition to being one of squad’s most consistent servers.
Rounding out the defense will be senior Emma Trueblood, along with juniors Jocelyn Ramos and Gabriela Sandoval.
While the Bears have great camaraderie, the task at hand, as Ornbaun sees it, is the team coming to an understanding about how to incorporate their individual responsibilities into a team mindset.
“The challenge is bringing everyone together to play as a whole,” said the former Pierce great. “Our defense looks to be functioning well, but our offense needs to learn how to be more effective in putting the ball away quicker. We need to come together and play better as a unit.”
Despite the experience the 2023 Bears have, they are a dark horse in the SVL; however, if they adjust to their new system and consistently play to their potential, they could make things difficult for foes East Nicolaus, Willows, and Colusa.
