EHS Lady Tigers volleyball preview: smart play over power

EPHRATA — Entering her 16th season with the Ephrata High School volleyball program and 15th as head coach, Britney MacLeod has seen plenty of Tiger teams take the court.

So, in assessing her squad’s prospects for their 2025 campaign, MacLeod thinks the Lady Tigers will be defined less by firepower and more by intelligent play.

"Our biggest strength this year is going to be our strategy. We won't have the powerhouse arms, but you'll see us playing smart," she said. The coaching staff plans to break down opponents’ defenses and focus on "placement over power."

The Tigers return four starters from last season, all seniors: setter Alyssa Dymarkowski, middle/outside hitter Alexis Chornuk, outside hitter Izzlee Haney, and defensive specialist/libero Faith Rodriguez. That experience provides a foundation for the program's upcoming athletes.

And there will be plenty of those. Nearly 70 players are expected at tryouts, including a freshman class of more than 27. While the varsity roster won't be finalized until the end of the week, MacLeod expects underclassmen to compete for playing time after showing potential over the summer.

In the Central Washington Athletic Conference, Ephrata anticipates tough competition each night. MacLeod looks for intense matchups with Selah, Othello and Prosser, but the league powerhouse remains Ellensburg. The Bulldogs have led the CWAC for years, and Ephrata's last victory against them came in 2021 during the CWAC district championship match that secured a state berth. 

Last season, the Tigers finished fifth in the CWAC standings with a 4-4 record and 6-10 overall. They were eliminated by Toppenish in the first round of district play after beating Othello in a play-in match.

The Tigers will also be tested outside conference competition. On Sept. 20, Ephrata will host a 32-team varsity tournament featuring programs from across the state. The challenge, MacLeod said, will be maintaining consistency against a wide range of opponents and styles of play.

"We've always pushed grit and discipline," MacLeod said, believing her team can ascend to a top-three league finish if her players “show up and be accountable.”

Involvement in the EHS volleyball program has been a family affair for MacLeod, first as a player, then after graduation as an assistant at age 18 to then-head coach Jenny Ratigan – her mom. MacLeod took over as head coach the following year.

Ephrata enters this fall season after competing in a Monday night summer league against Class 1A to 4A schools, giving the Tigers opportunities to experiment with lineups and evaluate their skill sets. MacLeod said the team has 11 practices scheduled – each focusing on fundamentals and polishing mechanics – before their opening match on Sept. 9 at Eastmont. Fans coming out to support EHS volleyball, MacLeod promised, can expect “plenty of hustle and heart on the court.”