Foothill Girls Volleyball Preview: Senior Dominated Lineup Ready to Perform

School:  Foothill

Sport: Girls volleyball

Coach: Dusty Collins

2009 record: 22-16

Key returners: Casey Curtis, Kara Schott, Caitlin DeWitt, Alexa Borg, Sarah Holmgren and Kristin Desprez

Top newcomers: Amanda Twazon

Quote: "The team is very close, we've been playing together for three years now.  This year is our year." – Alexa Borg

———————————

An experienced girls volleyball team from Foothill High School hopes to build upon its success from last season and compete for the North Coast Section championship and go to the state tournament.

Losing only three seniors to graduation, the team returns six juniors from last year's team.  Three returnees, now seniors, Kara Schott, Caitlin DeWitt and Alexa Borg, were named co-captains of the team.

Borg said the experience of the team should help them obtain its goal of becoming NCS champions.

"The team is very close, we've been playing together for three years now," Borg said.  "This year is our year."

DeWitt said that the team's biggest strength is the fact the team is so experienced and there are so many returners this season.

All three captains said that along with winning NCS the team has other goals this year.

"We have the potential to win (the East Bay Athletic League) and NCS," Schott said.  "If we do that, we should make it to state."

The team's strong offensive ability could take it all the way to the state tournament.

"The biggest strength of the team is our offensive ability," Schott said.  "But if we work hard in practice, we have the ability and potential to have a good defense too."

In order to achieve these goals, the team must first overcome some of their weaknesses.  Schott said the team needs to work on their on court communication. 

"We need to work on incorporating everyone that's new on the team, so they feel comfortable," DeWitt said.

While the team only lost three seniors to graduation last season, they need to cope with the loss of the team's main motivator.

"We lost a big energetic person," DeWitt said.  "We, seniors, have to create the same energy that came from one person last season."

The team also lost one of its two setters to graduation.

"Last year we ran with two setters on the court, but one graduated," Schott said.  "This year we are running with one junior setter."

Despite losing some key members from last season's team, this year's team is still confident that they will improve their record.

"We only lost three people, so we're ready to go," Borg said.

Schott said in order to make it to state the team must take every game one at a time and not get so down on each other.

"We took games like roller coasters last year," DeWitt said.  "We need to play one point at a time and stay in the moment."

——————————

Follow Patch Sports East Bay on Twitter

Download the movie