OTTUMWA —
After a brief experiment with cross country, Ottumwa senior Olivia Roark has returned to volleyball.
And Ottumwa coach Jessica Carson is happy to have her back.
“She has shown a lot of hard work and done a good job of being committed to the program,” coach said.
Roark took a one-year hiatus from the sport she has played since middle school to test her mettle at cross country last fall. But she decided cross country wasn’t for her and returned to the hardwood.
She said she was able to shake off the rust, and regain her skills while playing volleyball over the summer.
“I was very surprised with her ability to pick things up and just her ability to jump in there,” Carson said.
Roark has been tapped to be the Bulldogs libero this season — a position she’s accustomed to playing.
As libero, Roark is expected to be the Bulldogs’ defensive specialist, Carson said. The coach said the libero is the person on defense you want to get the most touches on defense.
“She’s one of your best passers,” Carson said.
Roark looked sharp at the volleyball team’s Meet the Bulldog night at Evans Middle School Thursday. During the intra-squad scrimmage between the varsity team, the senior had several kills and a couple of aces.
Roark said she thought her biggest strength as a player was her ability to cover a lot of ground and getting balls up.
Carson agreed, adding that Roark “does a great job of reacting and moving her feet.”
But many of the intangibles Roark has can’t be taught.
“She is very positive and has a lot of hustle,” Carson said.
Before volleyball season got started, Roark played a key role in the Ottumwa softball team’s success this summer.
Her solid play at plate and at second base earned her numerous accolades including being named all CIML Metro first team, all-district and all-state.
Roark and company will try regain the Metro crown this volleyball season after Ottumwa’s five-year run as champions was snapped last season.
Sports
August 23, 2012
Roark makes impressive return to volleyball
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