By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Ash Grove Lady Pirates won 16 games last season, then graduated seven seniors; their first focus this season is on rebuilding.
Cora Duit and Kaitlyn Stafford saw consistent varsity floor time and are the two returning athletes to the team.
“After taking her sophomore year off, Cora Duit returned last season and stepped up into one of our strong middle hitter positions,” said Ash Grove head coach Diana Eiberger. “Cora was also our lead in hitting percentage at 0.171 with 136 kills and 43 total blocks,” she added. “We look to her to step into a leadership position on the floor and to continue to grow in her role of hitting and blocking for the team.” Duit earned academic all-state honors and an honorable mention in the Southwest Conference.
Kaitlyn Stafford also joined the varsity roster last year as a defensive specialist. “She made a huge impact for us in the left back position,” said Eiberger. “This year, we are looking at her to step into the libero position and lead our defense through the season. She serve received for us, passing at a 1.79 average and defensively at 1.87 with 227 digs.”
Two fellow seniors will join Duit and Stafford on the varsity roster: setter Kelsey Morris and defensive specialist Marissa Andrus. They will also be joined by junior Zoe Welsh and sophomore Bristol Lathrop stepping up in the outside hitter position. “Zoe led our JV team last season with 64 kills at a .250 hitting percentage and Bristol was right behind her with 56 kills and 8 total blocks,” said Eiberger.
Tryouts will begin August 12 to fill available slots on the team. “We have several athletes we are looking at for the upcoming season to fill out our roster between incoming freshmen and returning athletes,” Coach Eiberger said.
“Our goal this year is to not only rebuild our team, but to reload it,” said Eiberger. “With graduating seven, that has opened several spots on both our varsity and junior varsity teams as we transition new and returning players into different positions. Throughout the summer, we watched a few of these players take on different roles that they may not be comfortable in, but they enjoyed themselves on and off the floor. This opens up our roster to be quite flexible in order for us to have success against different teams. Myself and my fellow coaches are really excited with the depth and hunger to improve these ladies are showing.”
“Our seniors really are pushing for a team camaraderie atmosphere this season,” Coach Eiberger added, “where everyone gets along on and off the floor and encourages each other no matter where they stand on the roster. They want that family atmosphere and have already begun working on building that feeling this summer by encouraging and picking each other up.”
Ash Grove will attend the jamboree at Pierce City High School on August 27 along with the host, East Newton, and Pleasant Hope. The Lady Pirates host Pleasant Hope in their first home game September 10.
