This fall, the Pioneer Volleyball team looks to fill four missing pieces from last year’s roster; Alexis Hoover, Rachel Russell, Madi Mitchell and Asya Andrew are all moving on to their lives after high school. The average fan may wonder how the Nebraska City Pioneers are going to fill those positions. Luckily, lots of underclassmen were biding their time for a chance to show what they can do to help the Pioneer cause. First, returning with three years of varsity experience at all positions, lone senior Katie Schreiter will lead the way for the Pioneers at the pin and in serve receive. Playing last season as a six rotation outside, she will continue to thrive in that position with an entire off season of irreplaceable touches. Her arm and platform look as confident as ever. Look for Katie to be the go to in some tight situations for the Pioneers. Alongside Katie, Halle Thompson brings two years of varsity experience to the court. Just like Katie, her all around game continues to improve and Pioneer fans will see her offseason improvements are impressive. If ball handling for the Pioneers continues to be a priority, Halle will make some noise out of the middle. The final offensive returner for the Pioneers is sophomore, Laney Denniston. Her time being the rookie on the court is over and her defensive anticipation and aggressive net play will prove that. While still gaining strength and arm speed, the experience gained last year will help her to contribute to the Pioneers in very needed ways. Pay attention as Laney will make herself known this year as a six rotation darkhorse. This is where things get interesting… who will fill in the open spots remaining from last year’s squad… Casey Smith, through the offseason and in practices last fall, earned a spot to contribute this season. Her overall skill set is wide and she could be a utility player in lots of tight situations for the Pioneers. Her platform and serve receive ability, her serve and, most importantly, her communication are among the team’s best. Casey Smith will be on the court for the Pioneers… where? Time will tell. Tierra Andrew and Emmalee Moore are both juniors who’ve shown they are serious about helping Pioneer volleyball get better. Their defensive intensity and IQ grows every day. Look for these two to leave practice with bruises as they do what they can to make sure no ball hits the floor in practice… or games. Jayce Harrah, Brooke Thorne, Allie Bassinger, Skyelar Lawal are the pieces of the puzzle that don't quite have a place, yet. Once the pieces find their home, Pioneer volleyball will escalate to a new level this year. Does the puzzle come together sooner or too late? These sophomores will be working for a spot to help the 2021 Pioneers have their most successful season in recent times. How does the team succeed? Defense and ball control are two focuses right now for the volleyball team. If those two things remain a priority and pride is taken in those aspects of the game, there are good things coming for Pioneer Volleyball. Finding the balance between aggressive play and game management will be the key for the young Pioneers taking the floor with only one senior this year. Pioneers take the floor this Friday with two preseason matches against Lincoln High and Millard South; two fantastic opportunities to play good volleyball against good opponents. Comments are closed.
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September 2022
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