SULLY — Lynnville-Sully High School’s Hawks have high goals for the 2013 volleyball season. Yes, the team lost four seniors to graduation from a 15-12 squad, but...
“We have lots of talent returning. We’ll have a pretty solid team for this year,” said Heather James, Lynnville-Sully head coach. “We have many players who can play very well in the front row and back row. This gives us many options as we sort out positions.”
The Hawks have 10 returning players who earned varsity letters a year ago. The group is divided evenly with five seniors and five juniors.
Leading the Hawks will be senior middle hitter Cassie Cullen, senior setter Jade Van Rees, senior right side hitter Macy Lanser and senior defensive specialists Lyndsay Terpstra and Kristal Beyer.
The juniors are middle hitter Lysandra James, setter Riley Rockwell and outside hitters Shelby Davis, Taylor Vander Leest and Madison Rasmusson.
Van Rees was second in set assists with 464 among South Iowa Cedar League setters. Cullen led the Hawks, the SICL and all Class 1A in ace serves with 82. The two L-S players earned South Iowa Cedar League honorable mention.
Van Rees finished with 66 service aces and was a 91.2 percent server. She was credited with 136 digs and 21 kills.
Cullen, who is 5-11, is Lynnville-Sully’s leading hitter returning. She amassed 194 kills last year plus put up 28 solo blocks and assisted on 23 more blocks at the net. Cullen had 103 digs and served 89.5 percent.
“Jade has a goal to be at the top of the set list this year,” James said.
Davis put down 94 kills a year ago and had 177 digs. She served 23 aces. Terpstra finished at 92.7-percent serving with 40 aces for the Hawks. Lysandra James had 21 kills and 13 assisted blocks. Lanser rang up 47 kills during the season.
The Hawks lost in the 1A regional tournament semifinal match a year ago.
“I feel we will make a strong appearance in conference play this year,” James said. “We have some very talented players, who should be able to step up nicely and perform well for us.”
Lynnville-Sully opens the 2013 season in the Newton Invitational on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Matches begin at 4:30 p.m.