The 2022 season started well before the first serve for the Ida B. Wells High School volleyball squad. And it started some 80 miles west out on the Oregon coast.

The Guardians all got together for a volleyball camp in Seaside, five days of grueling training sessions on the court with some of the best coaching around.

More importantly, the girls stayed together during the camp and had a chance to bond even more off the court.

Now in season, the strong connection the Guardians have is evident, as seen by a 5-0 start to the season, all five sweeps over Portland Interscholastic League foes.

And perhaps no one on the team proves that connection better than Wells' top front row trio of senior setter Eleanor Pigg, junior outside hitter Zoe Mish and junior middle Carly Straub.

"I love our team and I feel like everyone puts in the effort and has the same goal," Mish said. "It's really nice to see that, it's just a good vibe this year."

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The trio of Mish, Pigg and Straub were vibing against Lincoln on Thursday, Sept. 15, as Straub finished with a team high 12 kills while Mish wasn't far behind with eight.

Setting up most of those kills was Pigg, who also finished with one block and had her hands on plenty more. A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

For the Guardians, it all starts with Pigg who's been a setter pretty much her entire time in the sport. Against Lincoln, the senior was helping her team lineup before rallies, getting under nearly every pass and dishing out assists at all points of the net.

"(Pigg) is an all-around player, great athlete, super coordinated, great attitude," Guardians coach Mark Mendak said. "She's been a leader on the team, even when she hasn't been a captain. We're running a 5-1 this year, and she's pretty much the focal point setter. She has the keys."

Having the keys means Pigg needs to have a solid connection with everyone on the team, and that was especially true during the first set against Lincoln when Straub was bouncing kills off the floor thanks to some perfect sets from Pigg.

Mish had her runs too while in the front row, creating an attack that is going to be formidable for anyone crossing the Guardians' path.

"They're all incredible players and I think I just really connect with them because they're able to read my sets and they're able to read me too," Pigg said. "I can be all the way over here, (Mish) knows I'm going to set it and she's already going." A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

Obviously the game of volleyball is all about managing rotations, so the three aren't up top all the time. But when they are, the flow they can get is tough to handle.

"It feels like wherever (Pigg) sets it, either me or (Mish), we're just going to have a great hit," Straub said. "Blocking, when they're in the front row with me, it's really good as well. I'm just confident in our team when we're in the front row, all three of us together."

The three captains do more than dish out great passes or slam down shots. The trio also has the important task of leading the team and being the glue to keep them all together.

For Mish, that means connecting with everyone on the team and making sure they know they are seen.

"I go out of my way to write letters for the whole team knowing I appreciate them, because sometimes not everyone feels that and I want to make sure they feel a part of the team, they're on this team for a reason," Mish said. "With the three of us, we have a good bond so everyone is doing that. We're just vibing together." A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

Staying together is what Pigg deems as the biggest goal for the 2022 Guardians.

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"The goal would be to win PIL and definitely go to state, but also to stay connected," Pigg said of the team's goals. "At the camp we talked a lot about the cancer on the team and how it can start with one person and spreading all this drama and it can break a team apart.

"In volleyball, whoever has the most energy, whoever has the most connection is going to win the game, it doesn't matter about skill level at that point."

Seeing those three captains go to work on and off the court makes the job a little easier for Mendak.

Straub leads the team in kills with Mish not far behind and the same story goes for aces. Throw in Pigg's play and it means a 5-0 start and a big first step toward the goal of a PIL title. A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

"We're not expected to be undefeated, it's not one of our goals, but we're playing well and staying focused," Mendak said. "They're putting in the time and work and it's much appreciated by them."

Next week is more PIL action taking on Jefferson on Monday, Roosevelt on Tuesday and then third-place McDaniel on Thursday.

The Guardians said their goal is to take a step further than last year, in which the 2021 season ended in the first round of the state playoffs.

With a killers' row of Pigg, Straub and Mish, plenty of teams are going to have to fear the owl.

"Our team goal is to make it to the second round of the playoffs and win the PIL," Mish said. "And have a fun season, because we're all here, we're all putting in the effort and it's been great."

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