Volleyball moving forward in preseason

By Chuck Tidmore

Sports Information Assistant

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – One week into the preseason, first-year Huntingdon volleyball coach Latonia Allen is very pleased with the results her team is putting out.

"Preseason is going very well," Allen said. "The girls have completely bought into the system and are bringing a lot of energy to the four-a-days we have been throwing at them.

"We're taking this season one day at a time and putting the past behind us. We know we're not the biggest and strongest team in the conference, so we'll have to win by being smart and playing with mental toughness."

The Lady Hawks return 13 players from the 2014 roster and bring in 10 newcomers.

"The returners have far exceeded our expectations and we have a lot of newcomers coming in and putting some pressure on the returners," Allen said. "The chemistry is going really well and everyone is mixing with each other, and as of now I don't have any complaints."

One area Allen has been impressed with is the team's defense.

"We have a lot of depth in that position and the leadership has been really good," Allen said. "I'm not sure what to expect from the conference standpoint, but coming from Division II, our defense is better than any team I've coached."

The setter-hitter connection has been one area that Allen thinks need improving.

"We're trying to run an offense where we're mixing things up, running different options and tempos and our setters have a lot of responsibility," Allen said. "We're working on it every day and had to take a step back because of all the information we were giving to the girls."

The Lady Hawks open the season with the two-day Huntingdon Tournament beginning on Sept. 4. The first match is set for 10 a.m. in Roland Arena against Talladega College.