By Michael Cignoli (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
With eight district championships and a quartet of Final Four appearances in the past nine years, it’s no secret that the Strafford volleyball program is one of the state’s most successful.
For coach Ashley Bough, there’s also no secret formula that has led to that success.
“I do not believe there is a special secret, but rather a group of people moving in the same direction,” the 11th-year coach said. “I have learned through my playing and coaching experiences that success takes hard work, consistency, a competitive edge and things coming together at the right time. Over the past seasons, we have seen success and disappointments, allowing us to learn and make adjustments in order to grow as teams and as a program. Young players watch and learn, hoping to one day make an impact on the court — and that goes a long way.”
The 2023 season will present a chance for the next class of Indians to leave their mark on a program that is coming off a 27-9-1 campaign and a third-place finish in the state tournament.
With all-state selections Abby Chadwell, Ashley Suter and Sophia Frerking now playing in college and impact junior Halle Foerster out for the year with an injury, Strafford will look for immediate contributions from those who have been waiting for their time to shine.
“We only return three starters, with only two of them in similar positions,” Bough said. “The Lady Indians are approaching this as an opportunity for so many young players to gain experience and step into some big roles. We have had so much growth this offseason and look forward to showing others what we are capable of.”
With all the turnover, the Indians will look for leadership from its trio of returning starters — junior Sophia Venosdel, senior Mya Highfill and sophomore Elsie Larsen.
Venosdel picked up 209 kills and 35 blocks last season, collecting all-conference and all-district honors. No other returning Strafford player had more than 60 kills or five blocks.
“She has worked her tail off on the court and off to help herself be a big contributor to our team,” Bough said. “Sophia has really worked hard to not only improve her game as a powerful attacker, but also expand her shot selection as well on the court. We are looking forward to big things from her this season.”
Highfill recorded 328 receptions and 246 digs last year, both tops among returners.
“Mya played last season as an outside hitter and did a great job both offensively and defensively,” Bough said. “She brings a love for the game and quickness that will help her to contribute to the team even more this season.”
CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO ALL OF OUR FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS
Larsen was right behind Highfill with 308 receptions and 164 digs as a freshman libero.
“She has worked hard this offseason to be an impact, six-rotation player,” Bough said. “We are looking forward to huge contributions from her as a leader on the floor.”
Senior Natalie Gannon (defensive specialist) and juniors Aubrey Suter (right side) and Gracelynn Ford (outside hitter) will also take on expanded roles in the offense after being frequent subs last fall.
Sophomore Reese Darnell will take over as starting setter, a role few played better than her predecessor. Chadwell finished with 3,099 career assists, the fifth-highest total in state history.
Darnell is ready to rise to the challenge, Bough said.
“Reese has blossomed this past year and worked extremely hard to prepare herself for the varsity court,” Bough said. “We look forward to seeing her in action and watching what she will help the Indians do these next few years.”
Junior defensive specialist Emma Brantner, sophomore right-side hitter Zoe Allison, sophomore middle blocker Sydney Hane and sophomore outside hitter Lizzie Vanhorn will all be competing for playing time.
“We look forward to them helping to create a consistent team both offensively and defensively,” Bough said.
With four of last season’s top five hitters not returning this fall, the Indians are embracing the opportunity to tailor this year’s offense to their roster’s strengths.
“This group has great ball control and energy on the court,” Bough said. “We are working on making it more efficient and diverse as a team by focusing on our ball control. We return players who contributed to our team in different ways this last year and feel like they want to continue the tradition they have worked to build at Strafford. They are extremely motivated and determined to make this a great year for the Lady Indians.”
Strafford will travel to Central for an August 23 jamboree, then begin the regular season on August 26 at the Branson Invitational.
The team’s first home match is August 29 against Mid-Lakes Conference rival Forsyth.
“Our goals for each team are to continuously improve each day and maintain our level of intensity each and every game,” Bough said. “We try to instill in our kids that it is important to out-work and out-hustle others in everything they do. We are excited to see our growth as the season goes and we will work to be competitive until the end.”
