Girls volleyball: Fremont keeps sweating, knocking off rust to top rival Weber
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- Fremont High’s Kylee Harper, center left, tries to swing past the block of Weber’s Ava Heilig and Scarlett Smith in a girls volleyball match Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Weber High’s Scarlett Smith (3) sets up Ava Heilig (6) or Bradey Schiffman (23) for an attempted kill in a girls volleyball match against Fremont on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Fremont High’s Ellie McArthur sets the ball in a girls volleyball match against Weber on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Weber High’s Macey Montano rises for a serve against Fremont in a girls volleyball match Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Fremont High’s Addie Funk, center, and Ellie McArthur (22) set up the block against Weber’s Avery Kotter (25) in a girls volleyball match Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Weber High’s Avery Kotter gives the ball a swing in a girls volleyball match against Fremont on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Fremont High’s Kylee Harper rises to meet the ball in a girls volleyball match against Weber on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Weber High’s Tesyn Stewart (30) and teammates celebrate a point against Fremont in a girls volleyball match Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Plain City.
PLAIN CITY — “You have to keep sweating.”
On a 94-degree night in a huge match against neighboring Weber, it wasn’t difficult for Fremont High’s girls volleyball team to follow coach Analaine Mailoto’s mantra.
“We have a saying: don’t take it easy; sweat the whole time. If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard enough,” Mailoto said. “It was so competitive; we had to work really hard.”
Fremont rallied from a one-set deficit, winning three straight to wear down the Warriors 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-22) on Tuesday night in what is now a nonregion rivalry.
For those not aware of the change, the disconnect is displayed on an old banner in the “Wolf Den” that has the logos of six 6A Region 1 teams (including Fremont and Weber), a reminder of days gone by, as the Silverwolves are now part of a newly redesigned Region 5 in the 5A classification.
Still, the rivalry has not rusted.
“It’s always been there. I feel like they’re friendly rivalries. A lot of our girls are friends with their girls. I’m even friends with their coach (Renae Birch). We’re not friendly when we’re playing, but we’re friends every other time,” Mailoto said. “We always want to win; they always want to win. So, it’s always going to be a fierce match. It’s fun.”
Fremont (2-0) had not played a match in 12 days because of scheduling conflicts, scuffling and out of sorts against a well-tested Weber (3-3) squad.
“We’d had strong practices, so I think that maybe subconsciously we were thinking it was going to be a little bit easier than it was,” Mailoto said. “I don’t think we looked at their record; we were going off how we were feeling.
“We were feeling confident. At the beginning, it was a little faster than we were anticipating. I don’t know exactly what it was,” Mailoto said.
Weber opened on a 9-1 run, including eight consecutive service points from Scarlett Smith. Although the Warriors won the set, the Fremont comeback had begun; the Silverwolves got within two points before bowing 25-22.
“I told them it really doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish. Reset. What are you going to do about it now. Work your way back,” Mailoto said. “We’re such a mentally tough team this year, that we’re are able to come out of things instead of letting it affect us the rest of the match.”
Freshman setter Ellie McArthur played a major role in the Fremont sweep of the next three sets, showing leadership that belies her young age.
“It’s been a lot of work … having confidence going into it. I have confidence in my teammates and they have confidence in me. I’ve played with a lot of them in club,” McArthur said. “The first set, our energy was down. We had to pick it up. During our long week of practice, we bonded and came together.”
Escaping the second set 25-23, Fremont put on a strong showing in set three, winning easily 25-17.
The final frame was tight throughout, with 17 ties or lead changes before the Silverwolves gained an 18-15 advantage on a kill by McArthur.
Sister Mia McArthur pounded the match clincher for Fremont with a decisive winner on the three-set run.
Ellie McArthur finished with two aces, four kills and 16 assists for Fremont.
“I try to bring energy to help everyone out and pick them up when they’re down, because it’s hard to get out of a funk,” Ellie McArthur said. “Focus on one thing and everything else will come. Having hitters that talk to me and tell me what’s open is really helpful too.”
Libero Daphnie Moyes had two aces, four assists and 20 digs for Fremont, while Mia McArthur added one ace and nine kills. Kylee Harper checked in with three aces, nine kills and eight digs.
Captain Olivia Surrage was outstanding again for Fremont with 15 kills, six digs and an ace. Brooklyn Smedley was impactful with an ace, 17 assists and five digs.
Weber lost its third straight match after opening the season on a tear with a 3-0 start.
“We’re playing tough teams, which is what I want. We’re a young team and need to learn how to handle those big moments,” Birch said. “That first week we did it well, and now we’re struggling to stay calm. Stick to the basics and limit our errors.
“Towards the end we were getting a little nervous and not trusting what we do,” Birch said. “It’s always fun to play Fremont. It’s sad they’re not in our region for the first time since I can’t remember, but we always have to play them and it’s a good time.”
Smith had 24 assists for the Warriors, libero Tesyn Stewart tallied 21 digs and Sophie Sparrow smashed six kills.
Only two matches into the season, Fremont, conversely, has handled adversity well.
“I feel like when we get down, just relax and take a breath and get out of it quick,” Ellie McArthur said. “We got a little too settled but, in the end, we kept sweating and got ourselves back in it.”
