MCHS volleyball returns experience in 2015

Morgan City returns experience from its 2014 volleyball squad and also will feature athletes who have made changes to new spots.
Returning to the Lady Tigers’ varsity squad with experience are seniors Cecily Feliciano, Karley Guidry, Alex Thompson, Dwanna LeBeau and sophomore Kennedy Hebert.
Morgan City volleyball coach Christy Theriot said this year’s squad also features some young players.
“We have some young kids that are stepping up,” Theriot said. “Some are willing to change positions and play well. They’re working hard.”
Among those experienced players, though, there will be moves as Theriot said Thompson likely will move from outside hitter to middle hitter, while Feliciano will move from setter to outside hitter.
Hebert will remain in the middle hitting position for the Lady Tigers, while Guidry will be setting for the Lady Tigers along with sophomore Allie Vincent. Abby Reynaud is also an option at setter for the Lady Tigers.
LeBeau and Paige Loftin will be outside hitters for Morgan City this season.
Juniors Kaitlyn Gros and Brandi Albarado are seeing time on defense at libero.
The Lady Tigers did lose a pair of All-District 6-III selections from 2014 who now are playing for Grambling State University — Jaivieanna Jones, a first-team selection at middle hitter, and Brandi Ingram, a second-team choice at libero.
However, this year’s squad, Theriot said, features more depth on the front row.
“We have more people I think that can put the ball down,” Theriot said. “We just need to get consistent with it. Cut down on the errors and get them in play. They can hit the ball hard, just got to do it consistently. Instead of depending on one, we have three or four that can put it down.”
Theriot agreed the knowledge that assistant coach Quincy Verdin, who has played professional volleyball, has brought to the team has helped in the squad’s hitting.
“She just has all that expertise and just the fact that she played professional ball, the kids respect it even more,” Theriot said.
The 2014 Morgan City squad fell in the first round of the Division III postseason as Morgan City, a No. 16 seed, suffered a mild upset by No. 17 seed Thomas Jefferson.
“I think last year the focus was not there,” Theriot said. “They’d do well and then relax. They just need to focus and finish. Play hard, play tough the whole way through. We can’t let up. It happens every time.”
Morgan City’s schedule will feature tournaments at Assumption, Morgan City High School, Archbishop Hannan and Episcopal of Baton Rouge.
Another nondistrict game of note is a Sept. 23 contest against Assumption in Morgan City.
As for the Lady Tigers’ district, Morgan City still will compete with Berwick and E.D. White, while Lutcher, a Division III quarterfinalist a year ago, and Patterson, also a playoff team in Division III, are no longer in the district.
They have been replaced by Vandebilt Catholic, which has moved down from Division II where they advanced to the quarterfinals a year ago, and Franklin, which moves up from Division IV.
“I think district’s going to be tough,” Theriot said. “E.D. White has a new coach but (Sarah Johnson’s) been there with them for a while, so it’s always a little change. Vandebilt’s got a new coach, Greg Castillo. They’re going to be
tough. They got some height, too. … Berwick is competition, and I haven’t seen Franklin play in years, but you never know. I try not to underestimate anybody.”
E.D. White was a Division III semifinalist a year ago, while Vandebilt Catholic and Berwick were Division II and Division III regional participants, respectively.