Cape girls’ volleyball takes down Ursuline 3-1
The Cape girls’ volleyball team finally shook the monkey off their back Sept. 13, as they delivered a 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 25-21 victory over Ursuline Academy. It was the first win over the Raiders in program history.
Juniors Harper Mamele and Camilla Willis powered the Vikings with 13 and 12 kills, respectively. Journey McDaniel had eight kills and eight digs, while Amelia Fruchtman killed eight shots.
Senior setter Kaylee Sockriter put up 34 assists. Cape libero Amara Fruchtman bumped 19 digs.
“A really important win not just for this team but also for this program,” said Cape coach Tyler Coupe. “Ursuline is synonymous in the state with volleyball excellence, and they have been in the last two final fours and a state championship match just two years ago. Our ladies really understood their assignments and roles and stayed focused with them.”
Coupe said his squad was able to slow Ursuline’s offense.
“We swapped Camilla [Willis] and Journey [McDaniel] after the second set to offer a more effective block on their outside, and I think it worked really well,” Coupe said. “Camilla was able to disrupt their offense more, while Journey took really aggressive and big swings from the left pin. Sock was able to get Harper and Amalia in good positions to allow them to try and exploit some blocking matchups we had in mind.”
“I just think we put our mind to it,” said McDaniel. “We didn’t go into the match being down and thinking we’ve lost to them all these years. This is a great team, and we just love each other. We have so much chemistry. We wanted to do it for our seniors. And we did it.”
Sockriter said the team showed great perseverance.
“We communicated as a team and brought up our energy,” she said. “I think after the first set, we kind of realized we could do it.”
Mamele said the team watched film and analyzed Ursuline’s play.
“We really prepared for them,” she said. “And we knew this was our year and brought the intensity. After the first set, we knew we could do it.”
The Vikings travel to Sussex Central Tuesday, Sept. 16, for a match at 5:30 p.m.
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
