Last year’s Oxford High School varsity volleyball squad had a great season, going 34-10-2 and winning the Flint Metro League before losing in the district finals to Clarkston.
How easily they can repeat that success depends on how quickly the new players to this year’s team can get into a rhythm and work together. Only three players remain from last year’s squad ? senior Brittany Moncrief, junior Danielle Bauman and sophomore Ally Winget.
Of the three returning players, only Moncrieff, a four-year veteran and this season’s captain, was a starter last year. Moncrieff, whom head coach Kristi McDevitt describes as ‘the pulse? of the team. Also, on varsity will be 10 new players.
McDevitt, an Oxford alumnus who played volleyball as a student, said that the most important thing the girls have to work on is consistency.
‘From the beginning of the season, we’ve worked on everything we needed to,? she said. ‘Sometimes they come to court ready to play and dominate, and sometimes I have to push them really hard to perform. Everything else will fall into place with a little bit of practice.?
McDevitt feels that her team could be one that’s underestimated. True, many players from last year are now gone, but OHS’s junior varsity team last year performed very well. The coach considered that team ‘very strong? and feels they can step up.
‘Everyone’s labeled us as a rebuild team this year,? she said. ‘The girls have the skills to be very competitive. If they believe in themselves, they can accomplish anything they want.?
This year, McDevitt sees Fenton and then Lapeer East as Oxford’s toughest opponents. They battled Fenton last year for the FML title, and Fenton is bringing back 6?4 ? Emily Idoni.
‘Lapeer East always turns out a decent team,? McDevitt said. ?[Eagles head coach Dan Purvis] has a really good program at East. You can never discount them from being competitive.?