Pojoaque High School volleyball coach Brian Ainsworth has built a winning program since he was hired in 2004. Pojoaque finished as state runnerup in 2005, won the Class AAA state title in 2006 and have advanced to the state seminfinals the last three years .
Pojoaque’s success has created a unique problem for Ainsworth this preseason.
“We have 53 kids ,and we’re going to have to make cuts this year,” he said.
It’s not the only unique situation in which Pojoaque has been placed this season. After losing seniors Janelle Roybal, Leandra Martinez and Ellen Cruz to graduation, the Elkettes are not considered favorites to win the state championship.
“We’re not on the radar this year,” Ainsworth said.
Perhaps the Elkettes should be. Pojoaque returns a core of veteran players who have been part of a winning tradition.
The top returning player is libero Miquela Lovato, a starter since the eighth grade. Ainsworth calls her the “best in the state” without qualification and the 5-foot, 3-inch senior has already made a verbal commitment to play for the University of New Mexico’s Division I volleyball team next season.
“I’ll have a scholarship my junior and senior years,” Lovato said. “They only have one scholarship at libero and their starter, Allison Buck, is a sophomore.”
Senior setter Marissa Romero also returns, as does outside hitter Dionna Montoya and middle blocker Kira Trujillo, both seniors.
Romero started at setter last season and has the jumping ability to be an effective blocker. She may even see time as an outside hitter.
“We’re looking at the possibility of having her move to outside hitter at times and bring in Amber (Lovato) to set,” Ainsworth said.
Amber Lovato is Miquela’s younger sister. The sophomore will see plenty of action on the junior varsity team, where she will be the starting setter, and could see some time at the varsity level.
Montoya has been an effective starter at outside hitter the last two seasons despite standing just 5 feet, 6 inches. The 2008 Class AAA state long jump champion uses her leaping ability to soar above the net.
Trujillo has been a regular at middle blocker since her sophomore year. At 5 feet, 10 inches, she is one of the Elkettes’ tallest players.
All four seniors will have to provide leadership for the team, which will feature a lot of new faces in important roles.
“I used to goof around,” Trujillo said. “Now I have to be serious because the other players are looking up to me.”
Also returning for the Elkettes will be defensive specialist Kiana Vigil and middle blocker Elizabeth Gomez. Vigil saw plenty of action last season, and at 6 feet, 1 inch Gomez will be an asset at middle blocker.
Ainsworth said he still hasn’t decided who will be the other outside hitter. In addition to Romero, juniors Tamara Vigil and Audrey Smith are vying for the position. Ainsworth also said freshmen Alex Rutledge and Kyra Gonzales may be able to contribute.
Depth is no problem for the Elkettes. Sophomore Cara Salazar, a defensive specialist, spent the summer touring Europe with a volleyball team representing the United States. Lindsey Longacre, another sophomore, is being looked at as an opposite hitter on the right side.
“We’ll be very short and very athletic,” Ainsworth said. “We’ll be very good defensively.”
Defense will be what will win games for the Elkettes this season.
“We’re going to get to a lot of balls and take everybody’s best shot,” Ainsworth said. “We’re going to frustrate a lot of hitters.”