By Chris Parker
Thayer volleyball will lean on a group of five senior leaders this year, as the Bobcats look to improve upon last season’s 2-19-1 record.
Seniors Katie Wade and Kairi Smith are Thayer’s two returning starters. Wade is a middle hitter with a strong serve. Smith is a setter and outside hitter.
“Both of these girls will have to step up this year and be the leaders on this team since they are both returning players,” Thayer head coach Jennifer Seibert said. “They have the want to win and can lead this group.”
Fellow seniors Maisie Pittman (libero), Madion Bowers (outside/middle hitter) and MaKayla Howerton (outside hitter) round out the senior class. Pittman led that group in playing time with 26 varsity sets last year. Howerton and Bowers each played in just four varsity sets.
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Sophomore Charity Wodinowich (setter/outside hitter) and freshman Danyca Donahue will also look to have a varsity impact.
Seibert is excited for Missouri’s change from a best-of-three to best-of-five set format for matches this year.
“Going from the three to five sets will allow this team the chance of assessing and regrouping to come in for a win. In past seasons I feel that if we could have had one more sent we could have made a difference in the outcome,” Seibert said.
The on-going COVID-19 pandemic has made getting steady practices in preparation for the more physically taxing five-set format difficult.
“COVID has affected us in several ways. As a team we have had to adapt to a completely new mindset when practicing and thinking about how we will play the game this season. We are no longer able to just walk into the gym and get started. We now take temps at the door, make sure that everything is cleaned before and after practice, the girls have the same partner in practice, and we make sure that we still social distance as well as we can,” Seibert said.
Seibert looks for her senior-heavy squad to have a strong season.
“Overall expectations for the team this year consists of them coming together as a team, working together and developing a better overall communication with each other on the floor,” Seibert said. “They have the potential of being one of my best teams so far. They just have to put in the work.”
