By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Senior Elizabeth Alderfer says Goessel’s confidence as a team will determine how far they can go in 2019.

“Confidence will make the difference this year,” she said.

Elizabeth Alderfer will be the only senior on the Bluebird volleyball squad this year. Junior Raechel Boese will join her at the outside hitter position.

This year the team will need less time to get to establish a rapport as teammates, Boese said.

“Last year there was such a difference in age, seniors to freshmen, we spent much of the season getting to know each other,” she said. “This year feels different. A lot of the girls have played together, either on JV teams or last year on varsity.

“The big goal is to get Elizabeth to State.”

The team’s quest for consistent improvement will start during its home meet, said Bethany Herrel, who is expected to contribute at middle blocker.

“Our short-term goals are to win tournaments, starting with the Goessel Invitational on September 14,” she said. “We need to get better each week.”

Sophomore Kaleigh Guhr will provide leadership from the setter position.

Goessel ended last season 25-13 overall and 7-2 in Wheat State League. Although many league teams will have graduated seniors from last year, Coach Guhr expects Rural Vista, Little River and Herington to be tough competition in volleyball.

Even though the Goessel team will be young, “They should compete well in the Wheat State League”, she said.

The anticipation is that the League will be quite balanced, with several teams having a shot at the top spot. Guhr is assisted by Brooke Bumgarner.