By Chris Parker
Stockton volleyball finished 21-10-3 overall last year. The Tigers will be looking for much more than that this year with one of the area’s best hitters in Summer Kenney returning.
Kenney, a Class 2 all-state selection last year, accounted for 512 total kills in her junior season. That was a little under half of Stockton’s total kills of 1,060.
“She (Kenney) looks into different ways to keep striving to be better. Working constantly to put the team first and find ways to help win games in the best possible way,” Stockton head coach Amanda Walton said. “The sky is the limit (for Kenney). Summer is constantly improving and shows a commitment to the team by doing the best she can and working hard every day.”
Kenney enters the season with 1,060 career kills. Another 500-kill season would vault her into the top five all-time for career kills in Missouri history.
Fellow senior Kylie Hunter also returns to the lineup after earning second-team all-conference honors last year. She led the team with 790 assists last year. Hunter is also the second-leading returner in kills with 116 as a junior.
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“Kylie has the ability to read the court extremely well. As a setter and leader on the floor, she has an ability to help bring her teammates to higher levels and help them reach their highest potential,” Walton said. “Kylie is an amazing setter with many talents and we hope to use as many of those as possible. She is able to play any position at a high level. She works to be the best she can on and off the court, competing to give the team the best opportunity to win.”
Sara Patterson (senior middle/right side) and Frankie Underwood (sophomore outside) are the only other returning players with varsity experience from last season.
Patterson played in 94 of 96 sets last year leading the team in aces with 44.
“Sara is a hard working player that has improved tremendously over the past few years,” Walton said. “She is a team player that does what is best for the team.”
Underwood will be moving positions from libero to outside hitter.
“Frankie played libero towards the end of last season and is now working to learn and improve in the outside position for the next year,” Walton said.
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Riley Graves (junior outside/setter), Cassidy Haden (junior libero), Carli Burchett (sophomore middle/right side), Maritza Patterson (sophomore setter/defensive specialist) and Gracie Abricrombie (freshman setter) are all players who will look to contribute to the varsity equation.
Stockton will host a jamboree on Aug. 25 with Greenfield, Lockwood and Sarcoxie. The Tigers open the regular season on Sept. 1 at Lamar.
“We have great leaders on and off the court, we are also always striving to look for ways to be better as a team,” Walton said. “Expectations are to never stop learning. We have a team that strives to improve and be the best we can be.”
