APTOS — Peyton Dueck insists she measures in at 5 feet 5 inches.
“With shoes on,” the Aptos sophomore volleyball star said with a laugh.
Sometimes it seems like she’s wearing stilts instead of sneakers.
Dueck, a second-year varsity starter, has become one of the Mariners’ top offensive weapons this fall, and she’s stepped into that role with a confidence uncommon for someone of her diminutive size.
Precision kills from the back row? Of course.
Blocks on players close to half a foot taller than her? Yep.
Rocket-like swings through the outstretched arms of defenders? Why not?
“I’ve had to adjust to some things because of my height, but I just go out there thinking I’m 6-foot,” Dueck said. “I play my game.”
No. 2 Aptos (24-8) will need her to keep that confidence during Thursday’s Central Coast Section Division III semifinals against No. 3 Hillsdale.
The two are slated to meet at 7:30 p.m. in Aptos, and the winner will advance to Saturday’s section final.
Until this season, Dueck’s game was heavily reliant on her defense. She was a stalwart in the backline last season, leading the Mariners in digs (289) and earning a spot on the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League First Team as a libero.
Aptos head coach Lake Merchen said the plan was to keep Dueck at libero, but the graduation of Madelin Smith, Lauren Picone and Sierra Martin — the three combined for 282 kills last fall — left the Mariners with a need for more production from another outside hitter besides senior Jillian Rodriguez.
Dueck started seeing more offensive opportunities after a 1-3 start to the season, and made the full-time shift to outside hitter against league rival Harbor. The pint-sized star brought some much-needed balance to the Aptos offense in a four-set win over the Pirates, tying Rodriguez with 18 kills, while also making two blocks, two aces and 13 digs.
Heading into Thursday night’s game, Dueck is second on the team in kills with 230.
“Early in the year she was hitting in practice just in case, and starting at libero in games,” Merchen said. “When we moved her to the outside, she killed it and that hasn’t changed.”
Rodriguez, who leads the Mariners in kills with 293, said Dueck has the highest vertical leap on the team. She also said it’s not uncommon to see Dueck outreach 6-foot-1 opposite Natalia Ackerman on a block attempt. Ackerman can dunk a basketball and has a wingspan in the range of 6-foot-5.
“Natalia jumps really high and she’s really tall, so no one can really tell,” Rodriguez said. “I think they’re both up there.”
Dueck’s leaps and swings might surprise several spectators in the Aptos gym on a night-to-night basis, but those familiar with the beach volleyball scene in Santa Cruz are well acquainted with her skills. On the sand, she can do it all — hit, dig, block, serve and pass — and her diverse set of abilities transferred over well to her new role on the hardwood this fall.
“Outside hitters are the six-rotation players, the jack of all trades, she fits that role really well being a beach player,” Merchen said. “She was comfortable through beach filling that role. It was a pretty easy transition for her to move from libero to outside.”
Those same capabilities made her a hotly-recruited college prospect over the last year and change. She put an early end to the speculation of her future, verbally committing to play indoor and beach at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo in late August.
She won’t be playing outside hitter when she suits up for the Mustangs’ indoor team in 2021 unless she grows at least another six inches — something she’s still holding out hope for — but for the time being, Dueck will enjoy flying amongst the giants and playing like one herself.
“I’ve worked hard to be where I am today,” Dueck said. “Some people will be surprised (by what I can do) but that just gets me more motivated to get up there.”
