One bump, set spike at a time

Paul Jungbauer knows that building Port Washington High School’s volleyball program back to a respectable level won’t be easy or done overnight, but he sees promise early in the season.
Jungbauer, who lives in Port, was named coach last December after a successful four-year run as Ozaukee’s head coach. He coached Port’s junior varsity in 2015 and has 17 years experience of volleyball coaching.
Port’s program has had several coaches the last several years and wins were few and far between. Port is 16-104 in the North Shore Conference since 2007, Jungbauer said.
 He hopes to bring stability and success  to a program starting with a young team. The Pirates have two seniors, six juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.
“The groundwork is starting. The biggest piece of it is the coaching staff 100% believes in each and every one of these kids. We believe that they have the drive and competitiveness within them to apply what’s taught in practice to be consistently successful,” Jungbauer said.
Young players are being asked to step up right away. Freshman Carolyn Lippe and sophomore Jennacy Wille are the outside hitters.
In the middle, senior Hailey Sullivan, sophomore Tasha Klemann and freshman Elyse Karrels are vying for playing time.
Sophomore Sydney Hoeft is taking the majority of the setting duties so far. Junior Julia Schmit backs her up.
Junior Amira Szczepanski is standing out as defensive specialist, Jungbauer said, but Brynn Peacock, Mina Giersch and Elli Langlois are improving every day at practice.
Jungbauer said he is running a 5-1 offense in conference games and a 6-2 in non-conference contests. The type of offense, he said, will depend on the match-up.
Jungbauer’s hallmarks of his program he is drilling home are purpose, accountability, respect, positivity and family.
“So far each one of the varsity players has bought into that ­— that’s why we’re seeing the strides come forward,” he said.
Seniors Sullivan and right-side hitter Kelly Fischer, Jungbauer said, have positive attitudes, welcomed the younger players and are working hard.
Promise so far has come in the form of competitiveness.
On Saturday, Port won at Hertiage Christian, 25-11, 25-13, 25-23. Kelly Fischer and Wille had five kills each. Hoeft had 15 assists and Schmit had seven. Langlois had seven digs. Giersch and Lippe each served three aces.
Last Thursday, Port lost its home opener to NSC foe West Bend West, 30-28, 25-15, 14-25, 25-14. Port hasn’t taken a set from the Spartans since 2007, Jungbauer said, and nearly pushed them to five games.
Lippe had seven kills. Hoeft had 25 assists. Wille had 18 digs. Fischer had three aces.
At Nicolet on Sept. 15, Port lost, 25-18, 25-9, 25-17, but Jungbauer was told by some previous NSC coaches that was as long as Port has played with the Knights in 12 years.
Wille had five kills. Hoeft had 15 assists. Lippe and Szczepanski each had nine digs.
Port was to play at Cedarburg on Tuesday, host Grafton at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, host a tournament on Saturday, play at Cedar Grove-Belgium on Monday and at Homestead on Wednesday, Sept. 30.