STARKVILLE — For Starkville High volleyball coach Lauren Love, the season is off to a strong start even though Lady Jackets haven’t played a match.
Love and husband, Adam, a professor at Mississippi State University, welcomed their first child into the world Friday. Without their head coach this weekend, the Lady Jackets will play as many as four matches in the annual Set It Off Tournament at high schools in the Jackson area.
“I am going to miss being with my girls this weekend,” Love said. “Right now, I have a little young lady at home who needs me a little bit more. The girls have worked so hard during the summer months, and I know they are very excited about getting a chance to play.”
Starkville is tentatively scheduled to play Lewisburg at 3:30 p.m. Friday and Jim Hill at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Those matches are set for St. Andrews High School, but most likely will be moved due to refurbishing to the school’s gym floor. Saturday’s opponents and match times will be determined based on Friday’s results.
“Each year, we open the season in this tournament and it is a very good test,” Love said. “With so many teams in the field, it gives you a chance to size up the competition on a statewide level. I like playing some teams we don’t normally play. That is the best way to get prepared for region play and the postseason.”
The Lady Jackets finished 19-11 last season and advanced to the postseason for a third straight year. However, the season ended with a home loss to Hernando in the first round of the playoffs.
“We want to build on the success of last season,” Love said. “I think it served as a really good motivation for the summer. We worked out very hard in June. In July, we played in a summer league in Tupelo and then attended camps. The attitude was really good. I think the girls understand they can take pride in what we accomplished last season.
“However, they also understand the gap we have to close to be there in the end. We were undefeated in region play last season and we need to build on that. We have a challenging schedule, and taking it one challenge at a time will be very important.”
Love said balance may be the key to her squad. Starkville lost only three seniors from last year’s team. This season, the Lady Jackets will count on a slightly larger senior class and talented freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.
“Some of our seniors have taken on new roles,” Love said. “They are also being pushed into leadership roles. I really like the balance on our team, and I think that is important for any squad. You need players who can relate to one another and could help mold a group of players into a team.”
Senior Michaela Mills will be setter. Hitters include sophomore Khris Carr and freshman April Reese, who were major contributors last season. Seniors Jamiyah Covington, Stacie Young, and Kiana Bridges will contribute primarily at the net.
“We are trying to build some depth at the net,” Love said. “We have several net position players who will be freshmen. We are looking forward to seeing them in competitive situations.”
Starkville will play host to Heritage Academy on Tuesday at Starkville High. Last season, matches were moved to the Starkville Sportsplex due to renovations to the high school’s gym.
“We really enjoyed having air conditioning this summer,” Love said. “That made it worth being displaced. I think our team will learn lot this weekend. We are also in the Tupelo Volley Fest and also play in the Southaven tournament. Those are big events, which will help us get ready for our season.
“Overall, the attitude is good. The teamwork and chemistry is good. We have to answer a few questions about the lineup and the rotation. However, we look forward to an exciting season.”
Assistant coach Xavier Tillman will coach the team in Love’s absence.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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