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Volleyball preview: Replacing key pieces main agenda for young Sikeston team
SIKESTON -- The Sikeston volleyball team will look to replace a few staples from the past few years as they usher in a new group of younger players.
Sikeston will lose three starters from last season, which finished at 11-19-1. Gone are graduated seniors Lauren Beydler and Esther Chinwuko as well as junior Laryssa McClellan, who decided not to play this season.
All three players were all-conference selections with Beydler and Chinwuko picking up all-region and all-district honors as well.
"We will be young this season," Sikeston head coach Steve Beydler said. "We have to fill the void left by our setter Lauren who has been the primary setter for three plus seasons. We also have to realign our offense to fill the spot of our number one attacker and digger Esther."
Sikeston will have one senior on the roster and that is Torrie Helms, who took her junior year off. They will also return sophomore Olivia Nash. The middle blocker broke out last season earning a first-team all-conference nod as a freshman.
"Olivia Nash was a great surprise last year earning all-conference honors and strengthened her game by playing a tough club volleyball season on a very good team comprised of older girls," Beydler said. "She will return as one of our biggest offensive threats."
Sophomore Annie Ensor will bet thrust into the setter role left by Lauren Beydler after playing primarily junior varsity last season.
"Annie has good hands and good size and has been working hard with the coaches to help overcome her inexperience at the varsity level," said Beydler. "There are a couple players who may help out at the setter position in certain instances if required."
Juniors Morgan Poindexter, Ali Enax and Audrey Keller as well as sophomores Morgan Merrill and Lyndsey McClendon, a new addition to the team, will look to round out the team's varsity rotation.
Both Merrill and Poindexter, who both are hitting harder and more consistently according to Beydler, will help solidify Sikeston's outside hitter spots.
"Morgan Merrill and Morgan Poindexter have had very good summers and will be expected to continue as the season progresses," he said.
Helms, Enax and Keller will hope to sure up Sikeston's back row.
"They will be used primarily in back row defensive positions, but potentially could be used to step in and do other things in certain situations," said Beydler.
One question mark Beydler sees going into the season is the right side hitter position. That side will be more a platoon role until he see's someone can be comfortable and thrive in the spot.
"I will try different players out in the early matches plus I have a couple prospects on the jayvee team who may do some double duty early on until I can see who steps up and fills that spot better or more consistently," said Beydler. "The right side hitter must block the opposing team's big outside attacker so strong blocking is a must for whoever ultimately gets that role."
Sikeston has won six of the last seven SEMO Conference tournaments which included a stretch of five-straight. This year, the conference gets bigger and tougher.
Teams like Notre Dame, Jackson, Cape Central and Poplar Bluff join with Sikeston, New Madrid County Central, Kennett, Charleston and Oran to make up the new conference.
"The SEMO conference in volleyball has changed drastically this year," said Beydler. "New teams have been added and we are a much tougher conference now. I'm excited about the changes but it will take some time to get used to them."
Sikeston will begin its season on Monday with a home game against Cape Central with junior varsity scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
"We are focusing on basic fundamentals right now," Beydler said. "We are also working hard on conditioning and mental toughness. It's a long season and we will add nuances to our offense and team strategy as the fundamental building blocks are set."