Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – There was a lot of change with in the Solon volleyball program this fall.

A new coaching staff implementing a fresh system created a different energy in the gym during preseason practices.

The biggest switch for Solon during an impressive 8-2 start to the year that has catapulted the Spartans into the Class 3A rankings has been simple – having more fun.

“We’ve been doing a lot more stuff to get to know each other off the court and on the court we have a lot more fun than we have had before which makes the game better,” Solon senior Delaney Bombei said. “It’s so important to have fun because if you don’t enjoy it you don’t play as well. When you are having fun it’s going to make a big difference.”

More fun has been one of several elements that has led to more wins for Class 3A No. 14 Solon this season.

Mikayla Long-Siddell took over head coaching duties this fall after spending three seasons as the director of the club program in Solon and serving as a varsity assistant last season.

A Solon graduate and member of the Class 3A state title team in 2014 Long-Siddell is having fun herself while helping her alma mater get off to its best start since her playing days.

“I have loved it,” Long-Siddell said. “It’s been so fun for me and you can see the girls having fun.”
Since taking over Long-Siddell has placed an emphasis on the mental side of the sport.

Stressing everything from the energy every day in the gym, to confidence at the serving line.

And of course – having fun.

“I really pride myself on teaching the demeanor when they walk in the gym, that confidence, how they hold themselves when they are coming up to the serving line,” Long-Siddell said. “All of those things are really important and we spend a lot of time trying to build that confidence, the team chemistry and the energy in the gym.”

So far more fun has meant more wins for the Spartans which have enjoyed just one winning season since it won 34 matches en route to the 3A title in 2014.

After posting back-to-back 17-win seasons and a combined 34-42 record in 2020 and 2021 Solon is off to an 8-2 start this season.

“I just think the team chemistry is better, we are a lot closer,” junior Brynn Deike said. “Our motivation has changed a lot. Last year we wanted to win a set and we didn’t really have that mindset to win more than that and this year we are wanting it a lot more.”

Solon hasn’t just gotten off to a better start this season the Spartans have impressed during their early 8-2 run.

Both losses for the Spartans have come to top-three ranked teams in 3A No. 3 West Liberty and 4A second-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Solon already owns three wins over ranked opponents defeating 4A No. 13 Clear Creek Amana, 4A third-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock and 5A No. 8 Johnston.

“It’s a lot different from previous years and I think it has a lot to do with our team chemistry,” Bombei said. “We are doing great, we go out there and have fun and we play well.”

A four-year varsity starter Bombei is the veteran in a young and talented Solon attack that features sophomores Aly Stahle, Yasmine Sell and Grace Erwin along with fellow senior Sophia Hoeper.

Deike has settled in at setter for the Spartans while freshman Kennedey Whitford has joined senior Mik Langenberg in strengthening the back row play.

“I just feel like there is a lot less pressure,” Deike said. “The seniors have taken all of us under their wings and done a great job of making it so much easier to play and have fun.”

Solon is coming off a 2-1 performance at the Cedar Rapids Washington tournament over the weekend and will get perhaps its toughest test of the season to date when it travels to 3A top-ranked Mount Vernon on Tuesday evening.

“I think we can be very good but we have a lot of things that we nee to work on,” Long-Siddell said. “We need to learn from our mistakes and see where we can go but I can see this team going a long way it just comes down to how hard they want to fight for it.”

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