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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, November 14, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 12, 2004 McCarty powers Pirates as state tournament begins Senior outside hitter is on the small side, but she makes a big contribution By TIM TROWER Mail Tribune PHOENIX — Ashley McCarty wanted to be in advanced placement at Phoenix High. This simply meant she wanted to be placed in all the positions on the volleyball court. "One of her goals," says Phoenix coach Tom Murphy, "was to play all the way around. She found a way to make that happen." But she had to do her homework. Advertisement At 5-foot-3, McCarty is a smallish girl in a tallish game. The senior, who leads the Pirates into the Class 3A state tournament today at Lane Community College in Eugene, remembers the start of last season. Murphy decided she could rotate from the back row to the front and never leave the floor. "Murph gave me this packet of articles," says McCarty, a three-year starter who was a defensive specialist as a sophomore. "It was on how to be a smarter hitter for shorter players. It was about having a high volleyball IQ and how to hit to spots. It doesn’t matter if they’re legitimate kills — you just have to be able to score points." A "legitimate" kill would be construed as a ferocious windmill swing from high above the net that might rattle the defense like a bowling ball does the head pin. That’s not McCarty’s style. She’ll chip, she’ll dink, she’ll tip, she’ll hit it where they ain’t. "I’d like to be able to hit hard kills," she admits, "but I’d hit it into the net every time if I tried to do that." McCarty stays within her means, and it’s paid off handsomely. A second-team all-conference selection last year, she has been voted the player of the year in the Skyline Conference. The full team hasn’t been released, but she and three teammates — senior setters Aurora Fry and Shonda George and senior outside hitter Jessica Howard — made the first team, while junior middle blocker Kelsey Nelson is on the second team and senior Nicole Engle, a back-row player, received honorable mention. They were key components as eighth-ranked Phoenix went 12-0 in league and won its first Skyline championship since 1987. It opens state-tournament play today with pool matches against Sisters, Rainier and La Grande. The top two teams advance to bracket play Saturday. As talented as the Pirates are, they get much of their direction from McCarty, who also excels as a floor leader on the basketball court. "She is a very competitive and a very take-charge type of person," says Murphy, whose team is 24-7 overall. "The girls kind of look around and take their cues from Ashley, like, ‘How do we feel today?’ That’s just her nature. She wants to be in the middle of everything. "We kid her a little about being a ball hog. Anything that comes to the left side, she thinks she should go get. And we agree, go get it." McCarty first established herself as a standout defensive player three years ago, when the Pirates had a strong team and good size in the front row. But graduation led to a decrease in the Pirates’ height the past couple years, and they now get by with efficient serving and stalwart defense. One coach told Murphy that Phoenix plays the best "slime ball" he’s seen in years, suggesting the wins aren’t pretty, but they keep coming. McCarty, says Murphy, is unquestionably the best defender in the Skyline Conference, and that skill might be surpassed only by her ability as a server. She served at 92-percent efficiency this season, and against North Valley, which finished third in the conference, McCarty reeled off 16 straight points during one defining run. "She’s an amazing server," says Fry. McCarty is the first server each match. She tries to pick a weak serve-receive spot on the opposing side and exploit that person. Once she’s exhausted that approach, she moves the ball wherever is necessary. When she rotates to the net, she rarely sees eye-to-eye with a foe opposite her. But she’ll work the angles and use her shot variety to create points. "Hopefully," says McCarty, "I can pick out a setter I can hit it over. At least, I know she won’t block me." One thing is certain: McCarty won’t back down. "I’ve always had a competitive attitude," she says. "I’ve always been like that. I just don’t let people intimidate me." Phoenix realized at season’s start that it had the makings of a memorable season, says McCarty. That notion was reinforced when the Pirates defeated powerful Lakeview in five games in a nonconference match. Phoenix hasn’t played in two weeks, but McCarty likes its chances at state. In the Pirates’ pool, La Grande is ranked fourth and Sisters shares the No. 8 ranking with Phoenix. Rainier is not ranked. "I think we can compete with anybody," she says. "We’re all playing our best right now. Even with two weeks off, we’ve done a lot of things outside of practice as a team." The state tournament represents the bitter and sweet. It’ll be the last time six seniors play alongside each other after having been together since seventh grade. But it’s also a "pretty cool" way to end their run, says McCarty. McCarty may well play again. She’d like to go to college in Southern California, perhaps at a junior college where she can walk on in volleyball and basketball. It would be fitting, since she’s already studied up for that possibility. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities