(Avoca) The AHSTW volleyball team has established a lot of new records over the past couple of years and has now been hit hard by graduation.
Gone are the all-time kills leader Kisney Scheffler along with the all-time digs leader Paige Osweiler just to name a couple. Coach Kelsey Muxfeldt says, “This year we lost six really good seniors off our squad. A lot of them had been playing varsity since their freshman year. We are going to be young. We are going to be inexperienced, but I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing.”
She’s optimistic about the new players that will step in. “We have a lot of upcoming talent that is looking to show what they have. They are excited, hungry, and a have a positive attitude. It’s a good group of kids. I’m looking for good things from them.”
The cupboard isn’t completely bare. A handful of girls saw varsity action last year. “Claire Harris, Ally Meyers, Megan Wise, and Natalie Hagadon. Ally has been setting for us since her freshman year so to have a three year starter setting for us and running our offense is always a positive thing. Claire I consider my utility player. Every year she’s played a different position and always shines in everything she does . Megan and Natalie both started last year as sophomores. They have a full year of experience and they just keep getting better every time I see them step on the court.” Kailey Jones will dual sport with volleyball and cross country which will give the team some more experience. Hagadon and Jones each topped 100 kills last season. Meyers had 444 assists as a sophomore.
AHSTW has been on an upward trajectory in recent years with back-to-back 20 plus win seasons. They’ve also experienced success in other sports which should help.
Teams may be playing a little bit of catch up in terms of practices early on considering they didn’t have any summer worouts until July, but Muxfeldt believes there’s plenty of time to get up to speed.
She lists Underwood, Treynor, Tri-Center as a few of the teams expected to compete at the top of the Western Iowa Conference and the Lady Vikes hope to be in the lead pack.
