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KMS Fighting Saints
KMS head volleyball coach Joquel Molenaar talks to her team during a timeout in a Section 6A-South match against BBE on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 at Brooten. Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
KMS will have a new look
Fighting Saints, who graduated 8 seniors, will be young and led by Olivia Noble
BY MICHAEL LYNE | West Central Tribune
KERKHOVEN — KerkhovenMurdock-Sunburg will have a lot of fresh faces this fall.
The Fighting Saints, who had a 12-17 record in 2022, graduated eight seniors.
Under head coach Joquel Molenaar, who enters her 12th season at KMS, the Fighting Saints are welcoming the opportunities ahead.
“We are rebuilding after having a large senior class graduate last year,” Molenaar said. “We have lots of new faces at the varsity level, but all excited about the opportunity in front of them.”
Olivia Noble will be tasked with helping lead KMS. The 5-foot-6 setter and All-Camden Conference Honorable Mention will serve as one of the Fighting Saints’ captains. She recorded 662 set assists in 2022.
“She is both an offensive and defensive threat on the court. She has an effective attack, dumping and attacking from the setting position,” Molenaar said. “Olivia’s leadership experience will be a key this year in guiding this team in practice and games.”
Sophia Oerter and Savannah Petersen each return as starters alongside Noble. Oerter, a 5-7 senior outside hitter, had 63 kills and 32 digs a season ago.
Petersen, a 5-6 junior middle hitter, recorded 46 kills and 23 digs in her sophomore campaign.
Molenaar is excited to see what Eben Overcash, Emily Wagner and Abby Holtkamp bring to the Fighting Saints’ half of the court in 2023.
Overcash, a senior at 5-7, will be a starter at the middle hitter position. She will also be a captain.
“She is an aggressive player with a lot of potential to be a leading scorer on the team,” Molenaar said. “She will be someone to watch this year.”
Wagner, a 5-6 junior outside hitter, will play all the way around the court.
“She is able to do it all,” Molenaar said. “(Emily can) attack, block and play effective defense in the back row.”
Holtkamp, a sophomore, will be the starting libero and it is her first year playing the position.
“She has great ball control and is able to read the ball well and put herself in position to be successful,” Molenaar said. “She will also be a positive force on the court for the team.”
