Steeleville volleyball preparing for season

<p class="p1">With 25 girls out this fall, Steeleville coach Lesley Wente is working with some new talent.

<p class="p1">"We have several new faces and it's actually the same number of girls as last year," Wente said. "We've had a pretty steady number of 25 or 26 girls."

<p class="p1">The Lady Warriors are fairly balanced throughout the classes, with five seniors to go with five juniors, eight sophomores and seven freshmen.

<p class="p1">"It's new faces, so we have a lot of juniors who will see playing time on varsity this year who did not see it as a sophomore," Wente said.

<p class="p1">Seniors are Sydnie Furman, Paris Polley, Hannah Schatte, Kaylee Wagner and Madison Zweigart. Juniors are AnnaBeth Batson, Aspen Bixby, Sydney Hood, Lexi Middendorf and Mackenzie Pim.

<p class="p1">Sophomores are Kelly Eaton, Chloe Gordon, Karley Kothe, Savannah Kumke, Kiersten Lutz, Julia Niepert, Ashleigh Stegmann and Lyndsey Stevens. Freshmen are Sydney Bixby, Kelsey Cowan, Emily Duvall, Allie Hinnerichs, Raven Masterson, Faith Renner and Alli Wagner.

<p class="p1">Team manager is Maddie Haertling.

<p class="p1">"This year, we're looking for leadership from Sydnie Furman, AnnaBeth Batson, Sydney Hood and Karley Kothe," Wente said.

<p class="p1">Steeleville opens its season at the Marissa-New Athens Labor Day tournament starting Aug. 29.

<p class="p1">The 16-team tournament is played at Marissa and New Athens high schools and will contain four pools of four teams.

<p class="p1">This year's pairings have not yet been announced.

<p class="p1">"We have four tournaments (this season)," Wente said. "We'll be at Herrin, then Trico tournament, Sparta tournament and we'll start off at Marissa.

<p class="p1">"So, we'll see a lot of different competition at those tournaments."

<p class="p1">Steeleville will also play Chester in a Spike Out Cancer game on Sept. 28.

<p class="p1">This year's event will benefit Ali Gerlach, who was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disease, this spring.

<p class="p1">Wente was asked her thoughts on Cahokia Conference competition this season.

<p class="p1">"We'll come out and battle and like I said, with different faces, we'll see competition in a new light," she said.

<p class="p1">She was also asked what would be keys to success for her team this season.

<p class="p1">"Blocking and defense will be key components for us," Wente said.