The Hornet volleyball team kicked off their season on August 31, and look to improve on a 2012 season that saw them go 11-11 overall and 7-7 in conference play. There is a lot of overall confidence that the team will be better this year, starting with the coach and going all the way down through the players.

“I am excited for this year. We have a lot of potential,” said sophomore captain Celeste Snider. “I am excited to win conference this year. That is how confident I am in this team.”

The biggest difference between this year’s team and the 2012 team is that this team seems to have a lot more overall depth.

“We have a lot more good players this year,” Snider said. “We will be able to apply a lot more pressure and play at a constant high pace this year.”

Head coach Eddie Rapp thinks that the team’s depth can take them far this year.

“We have a deep team this year, and a lot of people who are competing for spots this year,” said Rapp. “That is our strength. We don’t have to play the same offensive style all the time, and we can come at them with a lot of different looks.”

The team also has a lot of chemistry, and looks to use that to carry them through the through the tougher portion of the season, like their matchup with defending conference champion, the Golden West Rustlers.

“We really work together well,” said freshman middle blocker, Caroline Corp. “Now it is just about going out there and winning.”

“Volleyball is a lot of working together, and this team needs to be close,” Snider added. “We are pretty close now, and will only get stronger as the season goes along.”

The Hornets definitely expect to bring high energy every time they step on the court.

“I love this team,” Snider said. “There is a lot of energy all throughout the team, whether in game or in practice.”

“Corp bring a lot of energy in the middle,” Rapp added, “And it carries through to the whole team.

The Hornets are off to a hot start. They have won their first two matches of the year and have yet to even lose a set.

Rapp has very high expectations for his team, and knows that their very balanced style should be able to push them far down the stretch. Even though the team is balanced and all role players will need to step up for the team to succeed, Snider is expected to be one of the best players in the state.

“It is too early to tell exactly how far this team will go,” Rapp said. “But, based on potential, I see this team having the potential to play into the state championship tournament in December.”