The Picayune Lady Maroon Tide volleyball team plans to rally this season and increase last year’s win record.

 

Sophomore Reese Sorrells and senior Amyiah Mark said the Maroon Tide community can expect the team to double their wins this season. Head Coach Courtney Dickens said they have what it takes to be in this year’s playoffs.

 

“To be honest this team should be in the playoffs in October there’s no reason why they shouldn’t. There is a lot of talent here, we have some athletic girls here who play all kinds of sports and we have some height this year,” said Dickens. “As long as they work hard and do the things we ask them to do, there shouldn’t be any reason why we shouldn’t be (in the playoffs).” she said.

 

The Lady Maroon Tide has good size, and is a young team with a lot of potential. Dickens said the team’s hitting ability has improved through out the preseason.

 

“We have some girls who can really put the ball down,” she said.

 

To achieve more wins the team will need grit, competitiveness and be able to handle adversity. If they do that Dickens believes the wins will come. Last season, the Lady Maroon Tide dropped several five set games that Dickens believes could have gone in their favor if they had more grit.

 

“I would like to see us get a little more grittier and be able to pull out those five set innings,” she said.

With the season opener set for July 30, Mark said the team’s excitement level is “extremely high,” and Sorrells thinks they’ll do a lot better than they did during the past season.

 

“Because everyone’s starting to get a little more of a feel for it,” she said.

 

She also said a lot of players have improved from last season. But there is always room for improvement.

 

“We just need to learn volleyball more, learn the game better,” Dickens said.

 

She explained how the team needs to learn to read an opponent’s defense and read the court better and have a better overall volleyball IQ and awareness.

 

“To me, I see holes and when we get sets, sometimes we may swing when we need a tip or we may tip when I think we may need a swing,” said Dickens.

 

Through the preseason this summer the Lady Maroon Tide identified strengths and weakness. Their strengths lie on aggressive attacking plays and serving, while weaknesses are in passing. Passing has been an ongoing struggle for Lady Maroon Tide in previous seasons but Dickens has seen a better connection with this group. She’s seen glimpses of a great passing team during the PRCC summer camps and believes it can translate into the season.

 

Mark said the team plans to accomplish better communication skills, verbally and physically. She also wants to build better court awareness.

 

“Definitely communication but also finding our spots,” said Sorrells.

 

Both said they are excited to play the Pearl River Central Lady Blue Devils because of the long time rivalry.

 

Dickens is eager to see how they match up against the schools near the coast like West Harrison, Long Beach, Harrison Central, and Bay High.

 

The Lady Maroon Tide are scheduled to host a jamboree on Aug. 30 then they’ll play the Poplarville Lady Hornets on the road on Aug. 8 at 6:30 p.m.