By Chris Parker
Seneca volleyball will look for a bounce-back season this year after winning six total matches last year. The Lady Indians had previously won 21 matches in both 2018 and 2019.
Leading the charge for Seneca this year will be senior setter Rylee Darnell. Darnell, who was a second-team all-conference selection a year ago, accounted for 471 of Seneca’s 508 total assists last year. She led the team in aces with 38.
“It is extremely helpful to have a setter who is familiar with the offense and who has the experience as a setter at the varsity level. As a varsity setter, you have to be ready to play defense and run the offense. She has greatly improved her ability to read the floor and she has really begun to connect with our hitters, which is so important in running a strong, smooth offense,” Seneca head coach Rachel Ayo said. “I expect her to be a leader on and off the floor. She will be a very important component to our team her senior year.”
Sophomore middle hitter and defensive specialist Jera Jameson earned honorable mention all-conference as a freshman. She was second on the team in kills with 106 in 2020.
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Junior Parker Long was the team’s third-leading attacker with 104 kills last year. She will play outside hitter and defensive specialist. Ellie Barnes gives Seneca three of their four leading hitters back. She was fourth on the team with 93 kills last year from a middle hitter spot. Barnes led the team in blocks with 18. Junior outside hitter and defensive specialist Braxton Raulston rounds out the returners.
Junior Brylee Sage and sophomore Ella Graham will move up from junior varsity. Both will have defensive specialist duties with Sage also setting. Carl Junction transfer Tatum White will be a right side hitter and defensive specialist in her junior season.
“We are an offensively strong team. We have many strong hitters and all have greatly improved with reading the floor and placing their attacks,” Ayo said. “Our defense could still use a little more improvement. My assistant and I saw tons of improvement over the summer months and we can only keep moving forward.”
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Ayo will look for her team to fare better in the longer five-set matches this year. Last season, Missouri made the switch from a best-of-three to best-of-five format.
“Playing five sets is mentally and physically exhausting. There were multiple games that we would have won if we were only playing best two-of-three format. I’d say the biggest lesson would be to make sure our athletes are conditioned and ready to play the long, grueling matches,” Ayo said. “We did not use a ton of substitutions last year as a team, and this year we will be sure to have athletes ready to go in and help out as needed. Conditioning will also be of high importance as well to make sure we have the stamina to finish strong.”
Seneca opens the season on Aug. 31 at home against Neosho.
“I expect us to compete in every match. We have a strong team this year,” Ayo said. “Our goal this year is to be a strong contender for a conference and district title.”
