Friday, Aug. 01, 2008

Proven Team Ready to Prove It

Carroll Volleyball Enters 2008 Season Heavy in Talent, Experience

By Zach Warner

Staff Writer

The Lady Dragons’ 2007 volleyball season provided plenty of flash and flare. A 32-6 record, a share of the district title and a 19-1 late-season roll helped comprise a successful year.

An early playoff exit prematurely ended last season’s festivities as Carroll was forced to wait nine months before having another go at it. But with 11 of 15 players returning in 2008, and with 10 seniors on the roster, the Lady Dragons seem as capable as ever to pick up the pieces and continue their winning ways.

"Really, the nucleus of our team is varsity-experienced and ready to go," said Carroll coach Wyvonne Walling, whose team begins its first day of practice at 6:30 a.m. Monday with an early morning session referred to as "Digging at Dawn." "That’s not just being on the varsity team, but playing-time experience. That’s going to make the difference for us this year."

Although they lost a few leaders in various locations, including outside hitter/middle blocker Madison Barr, setter Allie Simms and libero Dani Sloan, the Lady Dragons have their share of stars back on the court. Led by last year’s kills leader in Sloane Sunstrum (senior outside hitter) and blocks leader in Sally Johnsen (senior middle blocker), Carroll also returns proven talent in senior setter Kristen Duckworth and junior libero Jamie Harris.

Add hard-hitting senior outside hitters Rachel Zarazan and Hannah Herndon and solid middle blockers Lacey Robison (senior) and McHaney Carter (junior), and the Lady Dragons appear to be stacked deep.

"I think our team is really ready," said Sunstrum, who is one of several third-year varsity players returning for Carroll. "This team and most of its players have played together ever since we were freshmen, and we mesh really well.

"We had a lot of experience and a lot of success in club this summer," she added. "That’s definitely going to carry over to the fall."

Seeing top competition and rising to the occasion aptly describes several team members’ experiences on club teams this summer. Harris and Carter, playing for Texas Advantage 16 Molten, won the USA Volleyball Junior Olympics national tournament for their division, which was held in Dallas last month. Sunstrum and Zarazan, playing for Texas Advantage 17 Asics, finished third in the nation for their age group.

The summer exploits should prepare the team for a tough schedule that begins right off the bat. After two-a-days practice all next week, the Lady Dragons host a scrimmage at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 8 against Arlington, L.D. Bell and Plano East, then travel to Mansfield Legacy to play more talented foes in their final scrimmage on Aug. 9.

Pre-district opponents include Arlington (2007 regional finalist), Arlington Martin (regional semifinalist), Plano West (state semifinalist) and Allen (regional quarterfinalist), all perennial powers from the area. In fact, Plano West and Arlington are ranked No. 4 and 5 in the state, respectively, by the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s preseason poll.

"That’s a tougher earlier schedule than we have had in the past," said Walling, who wants the pre-district opposition to prepare her team for the new, challenging district they’ll face in 6-5A. "We’re playing teams with which you know their reputations, even though we haven’t played them in a couple years.

"Having a six-team district is a challenge, because you have to give it your all every night because only two teams are staying home," she said. "We have to answer the question of whether we’re ready for that competition."

Carroll’s new district is composed of Lewisville, as well as 2007 playoff teams Coppell, Flower Mound, Marcus and Hebron. Each of those teams won at least one playoff game before being eliminated by Arlington-area powers.

In fact, Hebron is the team that knocked the Lady Dragons out of the playoffs in the first round by a 3-2 final after Carroll took a 2-0 lead in the contest.

However, redeeming themselves in the playoffs is something the Lady Dragons won’t concern themselves with until the postseason arrives, Sunstrum said. They’ll have plenty of challenges to focus on with their regular-season schedule.

"Our goal is to win district," she said. "We want to make it to the playoffs and then once we get into the playoffs, we will make new goals for ourselves. We don’t want to look too far ahead to the future."