Last year after Pleasant Valley's Lady Raiders lost in the semi-finals at the Elite Eight, head coach Dana Bryant vowed that the team would make it back to the Elite Eight once again this year.

They have a good chance to do just that with the returning starters, seniors and team captains Whitney Glass and Jessica Glass and juniors Jessie Kate Stewart and Ashley Bryant. Each of the returning girls were impressive at the state tournament last year and will bring with them a lot of game experience that should rub off on the younger players. Whitney Glass will be playing at outside hitter, Stewart at middle hitter and Bryant is the setter. Jessica Glass will bolster the back row when she returns to the lineup after recovering from surgery.

The team, which recorded a 30-22 record last year, also returns sophomores Payton Lewis, Jessica Boozer and Morgan Smith.

New to the Raider team this year are sophomores Amy Hardy, Cassie Johnston, Sierra Langley, Jordan Luttrell and Megan Strickland and junior Majesta Ward.

Pleasant Valley lost three seniors to graduation, Maranda Smith, Emily Fincher and Danielle Johnston, all back row players and Bryant says replacing them is going to be hard. Bryant says that Luttrell and Strickland are working hard at the outside hitter position and Smith is working equally hard on the back row.

In a volleyball program that is rich in tradition and winning, the Lady Raiders already seemed to have started the season by stepping things up a notch. After losing their first tri-match with Jacksonville and Oxford, Pleasant Valley turned things around with a powerful showing and first place finish at the Saks Invitational.

"This team is very dedicated and hard working," says Bryant. "They work together very well and support one another. We have a couple of key passers, good hitters, a smart setter and hard workers. Together they will develop into a strong team.

"We will have to be solid on defense and smart when we're hitting to compete. Each girl has her strength to contribute and we will rely on everyone to get to State. It will take the whole team to get there. We don't have one or two "star" players to depend on. I am blessed to be working with such a great group of girls and I am looking forward to the journey that we have ahead of us."