Volleyball: Central McLean Cougars look to continue blazing start to season

UNDERWOOD, N.D.– The Central McLean Cougars have been one of the most dominant Class B volleyball squads in North Dakota. The Cougars started the season on an eight match winning streak, and now find themselves winners of their last six. Leading the team to an overall record of 20-2, and a spotless 5-0 record in region 5. Central McLean is making sure to take the time to enjoy their success through all their hard work.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Head coach, Whitney Jangula said. “These girls, they come in and they work hard every single day. They have a goal in mind and they’ve set their minds to it and they’re challenging themselves. And it’s just been a lot of fun. There’s been a lot of memories made so far this year.”

“It just really came together as a team and we’re working together. We have some new girls on the team that we’re just getting used to,” Senior, Lindsey Abrahamson said. “and we work together with them now and we’re getting a lot better and we’re just trying to stay positive just one day at a time, not worry about the next game next week. Just the game that’s this week”

Those new players are a huge part of the Cougars success with their ability to step up and fill the holes left by last year’s seniors.

“So last year we lost two of our main back role players. So we needed some girls to step up and we have two or three girls that are doing great doing that,” Senior, Adlyn Eng said. “And yeah, I mean we’re all still learning and they’re just doing great back there so far.

“it was different playing with the new girls,” Abrahamson said. “But when you play with them more, the more you get used to it. You just gotta communicate with them and help them out.”

One of the most important pieces to newer and younger players having success, is the leadership on the team, which is an overwhelming strength on this Central McLean team

“I’ve had a lot of girls that have stepped up and led in multiple ways. We’ve got eight seniors in the gym this year and they’ve stepped up tremendously, filling shoes from last year, taking on bigger roles than they took on last year,” Jangula said. “And then we’ve had some juniors and sophomores that have really stepped up this year for us as leaders, and I think that has helped us grow not only great role models, but just challenging everybody to grow and holding everybody accountable with it.”

“There is a lot of us this year, and we all have been playing since we were freshmen,” Eng said. “and so we know what it is like to be a young kid also. So I think that helps a lot, just knowing how we can help them because we’ve all been there before.”

When you combine the right players, with the right mindset, that leads to the success that this team has found. The Cougars mindset this year, is one match at a time

“We kind of just focus on today. You know, that’s a big thing. I told them, Don’t get all worked up about it. Just focus on today,” Jangula said. “We’re got to take it one team at a time. That’s kind of the funny thing about volleyball. A match is anybody’s match. Somebody’s got to get to point 25 is what I always tell the girls. Anything can happen. So we got to focus on today, stay present, and don’t get caught up in all that.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KX NEWS.