The Volleyball team is determined to make it to State this year–and they have a plan for success.  Following their loss in last year’s section semifinals, the team is working hard to reach their goal this season.  After six wins already this season, captain Anna Luong is confident they have a shot.  “I would say we have done pretty good, it seems like everyone on the team has clicked and we’ve beaten two pretty athletic teams so far,” Luong said.  

After only losing two seniors from their regular rotation, the team is certain they can continue their success after adding some new players to the team.  “We lost two seniors that were captains and two other ones that were not in the regular rotation, but we filled those roles. Most of the starting lineup is back, and we have sophomore Allie Brooks filling in as a middle, where we lost Paige [Mazal] from last year,” Luong said.

In preparation for the upcoming season, the girls practiced throughout the year with their club teams.  “Offseason all of us play club volleyball from October to June, and during the summer we had practice two days a week; then after tryouts were over we had practice twice a day in the morning and evening,” captain Hannah Miller said.  Dedication such as this proves that the team is ready to work harder than ever to make it to state.

With the help of their experienced coaching staff, the team has improved and honed in on their skills.  “I would say the biggest help from our coaches is that Ashley Wittman, our assistant coach, played at the University of Minnesota.  She has been through all this and knows what we need to do and fix whatever is wrong with the game,” Luong said.

Along with head coach Phong Luong’s scouting of other teams, his helpful pointers lead the team to victory.  “Both Ashley and Phong are really supportive of us, but also tell us what we are doing wrong so we can improve and get stronger,” Miller said.

Due to the team’s hard work and rigorous practice schedule, they are optimistic they will find success this season.  “I think we will have a good season this year, and as long as we don’t have any injuries and keep playing the way we should, and sticking to what we know, we should do pretty well,” Miller said.

Though the team is equally talented and skilled, a few key players stand out.  “Sophomore Maizy Jackson and [junior captain] Sophie Hathaway are great players; also Hannah Miller is a really strong player and has a lot of varsity experience,” Luong said.  

The team, however, ultimately relies on everyone to achieve their goals.  “Everyone has contributed over the season–we don’t have a weak link,” Miller said.

The team will have to practice harder than ever to get where they want to be this season, as they strive to make it to State, after their season ended last year after a loss during the section semifinals.  They are hopeful that their success will equal the work they have put in.  “Our main goal is to get to section finals, after last year only making it to section semifinals. We want to get another level up, but the ultimate goal is to make it to State.  We work hard and practice everyday and learn about our competition to adjust to teams in the future,” Miller said.