Chiawana’s McKaidan Moore a little hitter with a big punch

When you see McKaidan Moore on the Chiawana volleyball roster, listed at all of 5-foot-6, you might think she’s a setter or a back-row specialist.

You would be wrong.

Moore is the Riverhawks’ top hitter, doing her damage from the outside. The junior leads the team with 16 kills per match and chips in an average of 13.75 digs, making her an all-around threat on the court.

“She is pretty well-rounded,” Chiawana coach Jim Steach said. “She is as important to us in the back row as she is in the front row. She is an explosive player and keeps getting better and better. She brings the competitiveness and leadership that can’t be measured.”

The Riverhawks will need Moore to be at the top of her game Thursday when they host Richland at 7 p.m. in a match that will determine the Mid-Columbia Conference title.

Both teams are 12-1 in the conference standings. Richland swept Chiawana 27-25, 25-16, 25-18 the first time around, while the Bombers’ lone loss is to Southridge.

“I am super excited,” Moore said of the match. “I think that (first match against Richland) wasn’t our game. We slacked off on serve receive, and our passing was off. We’ve been working really hard, and we know what to expect. We have an awesome opportunity to win a league title. We will play our game.”

Moore was an honorable mention OH last year in the MCC but has come to life this season, as have the Riverhawks, who struggled to a 6-8 MCC record last season.

“I did not think we would be at the level we are,” Moore said. “We lost some good players. We are all pretty young, and we have the drive to win. We communicate well, give each other positive feedback, and we have a lot of athleticism. We have been stepping it up a lot. We went to the WSU camp, and that helped with our confidence.”

Club volleyball also has its merits. Moore and several of the MCC’s top players are part of Southridge coach John Lengphounpraseut’s team.

“He won’t let us have the mindset that we can’t do it,” Moore said. “We have played for John for a couple of years, and he has helped us succeed.”

While Moore takes care of the outside duties, matching 6-foot middles Heidi Rus and Bethanie Nelson take care of the rest. Moore plays one rotation with Nelson and two with Rus.

“Bethanie is loud and energetic,” Moore said. “She keeps the middle, and that opens a seam for me. It’s fun to play with them.”

Though Moore dictates play at the net, she plays the entire rotation — and enjoys both sides of the game.

“When I’m at the net, it’s fun to outsmart the defense,” Moore said. “I play the back row, so I think I can outsmart them. But I love to dig up balls, too.”

While her play seems to be at a high level, Moore said there are areas of her game that could improve.

“My passing and my digging, sometimes I could do a better job at reading the play,” Moore said. “Hitting-wise, I could do a better job at mixing up my shots. And I’d like to have a tougher serve.”

Riverhawks setter Ashtin Olin, who runs the offense, said Moore can be her own worst critic.

“McKaidan a very hard-working player,” Olin said. “She is very passionate about the sport; she’s very hard on herself sometimes, but she pulls through anyway. That’s what I love about playing with her. When I look at her and look at the other opponent, I just know what she wants. If I need to set it quick, or inside or to the pin, she can just kill it. All the time. She is just killer.”

This story was originally published October 21, 2015 at 8:29 PM with the headline "Chiawana’s McKaidan Moore a little hitter with a big punch."