Volleyball set for season opener

+Coppell+sophomore+outside+hitter+Reagan+Engler+stands+ready+to+receive+as+she+watches+her+teammates+against+Grapevine+on+Sept.+10%2C+2019+in+the+CHS+Arena.+Coppell+will+take+on+Sachse%2C+Grapevine+and+Eaton+tomorrow+at+5+p.m.+in+the+CHS+Arena+for+the+first+scrimmage+of+the+season.+

Sally Parampottil

Coppell sophomore outside hitter Reagan Engler stands ready to receive as she watches her teammates against Grapevine on Sept. 10, 2019 in the CHS Arena. Coppell will take on Sachse, Grapevine and Eaton tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the CHS Arena for the first scrimmage of the season.

Anjali Krishna, Co-Sports Editor

After a month-long wait, Coppell volleyball will begin its delayed season tomorrow at 5 p.m. in a scrimmage against Grapevine, Eaton and Sachse at the CHS Arena.

The scrimmage will mark the first indoor sporting event of the season under the CHS coronavirus guidelines.

“We’re all excited because we’ve been waiting so long to play a game but it’s going to be different, there’s no spectators around and the people watching should be at 40%,” Coppell senior setter Mari Taira said. 

With a new year came a much younger and smaller team for the Cowgirls. Last year’s team of 17 players has been reduced to 13. With two players, Coppell sophomore middle blocker Allie Stricker and Coppell junior right-side hitter Abby Hendricks, out for injuries, 11 girls will play in tomorrow’s scrimmage. According to Taira, the smaller team means more reps, and thus, tougher practices and better results at matches.

“We had a lot more experienced players last year,” Coppell sophomore outside hitter Reagan Engler said. “This year, we’re just trying to get our feet back up and play together as one team. We’re trying to find that connection like we had last year. We have some problems here and there but we’re fixing them along the way, and we’re all becoming so close, we’re playing better as a team.”

Preparing for the season, the Cowgirls have been running new plays and finding ways to use hitters and passers the most efficient way possible. Mainly, the team has been working on communicating, which is a struggle for this team of new players.

“We’ve been focusing on communication, talking with each other, just being there for each other, and being a good team,” Engler said. “All of us have a hard time communicating with each other just because this is our first year playing together as one team, so communication is one thing we’re working on and just keeping a good attitude.”

The Cowgirls are coming into the scrimmage expecting good competition and tough opposition, as well as an opportunity to find and improve on their failings.

“We just want to have the ability to play,” Engler said. “We need to get on the court with other teams and we need to be in competition and it’ll be great practice.”

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