By Chris Parker
Central volleyball will look to improve on last year’s two-win campaign behind a solid group of juniors. That junior group includes: Holland Hawkins (libero), Phoebe Riddle (middle), Olivia Brinkman (outside/middle hitter), Maddie Dimmick (middle hitter) and Genevieve Thornton (right side). Senior setter Tameya Neal will also be a key returning player.
Hawkins and Riddle both earned honorable mention all-conference honors last season. Riddle was second on the team with 59 kills and 27 blocks last year. Hawkins had 103 digs and 129 serve-receives last year.
Central will also get a boost from a strong freshman class that includes Coco Buschhorn (setter/hitter), Megan Grone (outside/right side hitter) and Blakely True (outside/middle hitter).
Central coach Lisiane Matsdorff has been working to prepare her team for the switch from a best-of-three to best-of-five set format.
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“The pros are that the change prepares our players to the college ball reality. Also, with the best of five sets, you can have more chances to change the game’s picture. We can use more our players from the bench – giving them the opportunity to play more,” Matsdorff said. “The cons are related to how long time we will spend on the road after a game day where before the varsity match, we have two games – freshmen and junior varsity. The challenges will be related to the time the players will arrive at home to wake up for their daily classes. Our players will need to manage better their time to do homework and to take care of themselves and have a relaxing time to handle the season. I am a little worried about my players to be overwhelmed because they will play more. Conditioning and smarter healthy decisions will be crucial to our player don’t have injuries.”
That preparation for longer and more physically demanding matches has been hampered by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are conscious about the importance of social distance, the use of masks, and also, I was checking their body temperature before starting the open gym activities. We had an online attendance to track their participation, date, and hours spent with other players to control possible COVID exposures. We emphasized the importance of each player to take care of themselves and protect their teammates. The idea is that each one needs to make their part of overcoming the pandemic and having the chance to play this season. In a team sport, the spirit of the team is more important than the individual. This spirit is similar to the idea that I will not spread the virus by responsible social practices that are easy to follow if you are not selfish and want the best for your teammates. Parents also, did a great job setting the example for their daughters, using masks during our participation on summer leagues,” Matsdorff said.
Overall, Matsdorff is just hoping her team has the chance to play out the season.
“My first expectation is to have the opportunity to play and overcome this pandemic situation in a safe way. This Central volleyball generation deserves to play this year by their commitment, passion, and desire to compete and show their joy in the court,” Matsdorff said. “I am excited about the upcoming season by my players’ talent. I am proud of the improvement of these players. Most of them did not play club ball before their freshman year in the high school, and they overcame their past limitations with determination and passion for the game.”
Central opens the season on Aug. 29 at the Branson tournament.
