Following a strong 2021 season in which the program took a step forward, Owensboro volleyball is looking to expand on their gained experience in order to continue to grow this season.
The Lady Devils finished last season with a 20-15 overall record, having their season come to a close with a first-round district exit coming via Owensboro Catholic. With a number of key returning players and some newcomers such as Hannah Ashley, Addie McDaniel, Kiersten Taylor, and Hanna Chancellor, Head Coach Melissa Hibbs is excited about the potential for this fast-paced team.
“Speed will be key to us this year,” Hibbs said. “We need to offensively up the tempo and tap into our speed on defense to set a strong block and keep the ball alive. We will look at returning varsity members Mia Covington, Brooklyn Williams, Kennedy Thompson, and Chase Mather for leadership throughout the season. Mia, Brooklyn, and Chase can all get hot at any moment and change the game.”
Hibbs went on to say that Thompson will be an anchor for Owensboro defensively, while she also expects a big year from sophomores Addie Travis and Ava Fincher.
“Another player coming in with more confidence and experience this season is Sophomore Ava Fincher who will be key for OHS to have a successful season,” Hibbs said. “While both Ava and Addie had varsity minutes last year, they were still adjusting to the speed of the game. Watch for both of them to make a big splash this year.”
Owensboro has gotten off to a solid start, sweeping Muhlenberg County in its season opener and defeating McLean County 3-2 on Thursday. In order to find continued success, Hibbs said that they have to make sure to take things game by game and be mentally tough as the season goes along to compete amongst the best.
“While we believe that we can have a very successful season, we don’t want to overlook any opponent,” Hibbs said. “Our focus is to take one match at a time to continue to grow throughout the season. While we know our region will be as competitive as ever, our focus will be to control our side of the court and be aggressive throughout our matches.”
