Park Hill lost two of its top three attackers but returns six of the top eight in sets played last year.
In coach Lindsey Hood’s seventh season, the Trojans will have to replace a lot of offense but will have plenty of experience on a roster, which hopes to come together and improve on last year’s 10-18-5 season that ended with a loss in the first round of the Class 5 District 16 tournament. Chelsea Edwards (258 digs last year) and Tyah Barnett (98 kills) enter their senior seasons as third-year starters.
Kai Welsh, a junior, put up the best stats at the net of a returning player. She finished 2015 with 104 kills and 22 blocks — both numbers ranking second for the Trojans last season. Welsh, Barnett and Edwards will try to help make up for the loss of Gabby Sweeney, who produced a team-high 252 kills (fifth in team history for a single season), and Sabrina Corley (third in kills last year with 99 and tops in blocks with 27).
Kayla Huffman, a junior, returns as starting setter after posting 491 assists and a team-high 44 service aces in her sophomore campaign. Lexi Renau, another junior, led the Trojans last year with 300 digs.
Hood also expects senior Courtney Bearce (defense) and sophomores Rachel Pella and Honor Foutch (front row) to make in impact.
Park Hill didn’t win more than two in a row at any point last season despite Sweeney’s standout season. The Trojans were 4-6 in Suburban Conference Red Division play, and the schedule increases in difficulty this year with their move up to the Gold Division.