By Chris Parker
West Plains volleyball won 13 matches last year behind a five-player senior class.
At the head of that class was Ashton Judd. Judd led the Lady Zizzers in kills (357), aces (43) and blocks (24). She earned first-team all-conference honors.
“Ashton was a great player and leader,” West Plains head coach Hailey Beazley said. “She was our go-to hitter last year, a huge block, and a great setter. It has been good to see the other girls step up and fill in the gaps. We will run a more balanced offense this year.”
One all-conference player in Mia Thomas returns for her senior year. She led the team in assists with 364 while finishing second in kills (135) and blocked aces (33).
“Mia is so versatile,” Beazley said. “She has played pretty much every position for Zizzer volleyball. She is willing to do whatever we need her to do. This year she will be a pin hitter for us.”
Madi Hughston (junior), Lily Wiedemann (sophomore) and Mary Claire Gohn (senior) all played in a majority of the varsity sets last year.
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Hughston is an outside hitter who had 99 kills in 2021.
“Madi is a great leader on the court,” Beazley said. “She always gives maximum effort and is a six-rotation player.”
Wiedemann is a pin hitter for West Plains who put down 107 kills as a freshman.
“Lily is a six-rotation player for us too,” Beazley said. “She and Madi are great assets on both offense and defense.”
Gohn played in 72 of 91 varsity sets last year and will see an even bigger role this year.
“She (Gohn) played some defense and was our most consistent varsity server, but this year she will be one of our varsity setters,” Beazley said.
Junior Emily Dawson will step up to varsity full time and play in the middle. Mickenzie Tarlton is a senior transfer who will be an asset defensively. Shelby Cooper was the junior varsity libero and will be a defensive asset on varsity as a senior. Lucy Hafer is an incoming freshman who will set. Kennedi Keller will be a pin hitter in her junior year. Emma Chapman (junior), Hannah Wynn (junior) and Mylea Adams (freshman) will also compete for varsity time.
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Defense will be a focus for West Plains.
“We know that defense wins games, and if we can serve tough consistently and be solid defensively, we will have a lot of success,” Beazley said.
West Plains will travel to Glendale on Aug. 23 for a jamboree with the host Falcons and Branson. The Lady Zizzers will open the regular season on Aug. 30 at Mountain Home.
“This will be my fourth season as head coach,” Beazley said. “The seniors this year were freshmen my first year. I think this will be the most successful season since I started coaching here. The girls have put in the time and the effort and we’re ready to put it all together.”
