Fall 2017 Preview: Cassville Volleyball

By Josh Hall (Josh.hall@ky3.com)

Briana Klein knew some work needed to be done when she saw the Cassville High School volleyball team play for the first time in the spring.

But the first-year head coach has seen significant improvements from the Lady Cats since that first meeting.

“From spring to now, it’s 100-percent different – not only on how the kids are playing, but the attitudes that the kids have, as well,” Klein said Aug. 8. “We’re seeing a lot of great things; a lot of dedication.”

Cassville graduated Rhandi Pendergraft (DS), Chelsey Small (M), Lindsey Hernandez (DS) and Alexis Cieslinski (OH) from last year’s team that went 12-15-5 after falling to Seneca in a Class 3, District 12 semifinal game.

With those losses, the Lady Cats look to fill both offensive and defensive roles, but Klein said she is confident she has athletes capable of doing so.

Cassville will be led by Second-Team Big 8 middle hitter Brianna Hemphill and senior setter Jesse Edie, an honorable-mention Big 8 selection in 2016.

Hemphill adds versatility to the lineup as a six-rotation middle.

“I am constantly changing what I want her to run, and she simply says, ‘okay coach’ and then executes it,” Klein said.

Klein also expects a lot from Edie, a six-rotation setter.

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“She is a huge piece of our team,” Klein said. “She has shown great leadership this summer, and she really pushes her teammates to be better every single point. “

The duo will be joined by senior middle Lisa Lambel and junior defensive specialist Avery Brown as returners from last year.

New to the mix will be Chloe Roller (junior DS), Morgan Popanz (junior RSH/S), Dalia Phelps (junior OH), Kennedy Parnell (sophomore OH), Chantly Yarnall (freshman DS) and Olivia Holman.

Klein made it clear this Cassville team plays well as a unit.

“They aren’t playing for themselves,” she said. “They’re playing for the people that are next to them and on the court with them.”

Klein recently held a meeting with her team to discuss her expectations for the season, along with her goals for the team and individual players.

In turn, the Lady Cats gave their coach their own feedback.

“I got a lot of great things from the girls,” Kleine said. “There were some key games that they really wanted to win this season, and ultimately, they just wanted to feel more comfortable as a team and they wanted to be more consistent as a team. That was a pretty common theme.”

Winning a conference championship, district title and advancing in the state tournament is also in the back of Cassville’s mind.

But for the Lady Cats, collecting trophies is not what this season is all about.

“I’ve got a group of very competitive kids,” Klein said. “Of course they are focused on that, but I don’t think these kids just want those things. They want the other side of what a team means – loving the people you’re on the court with, and not just loving them when you’re winning, but loving them when you’re losing, too. Ultimately I know they want to grow as a team more than they win games.”