Richards volleyball staying competitive

A year has made all the difference for the Richards High School volleyball program.

Head coach Bobby Conner said 16 are in the program, including seven on the junior varsity squad.

“We’re doing pretty good,” the second-year coach said. “They’re excited. They want to play. The teamwork and the companionship, they’re helping everybody out.”

The increase in players has allowed the Lady Panthers to be more competitive.

“Coach Conner has us playing against some bigger schools to get our experience up and to make us work harder,” said freshman middle hitter Cadence Nance, one of the girls also competing during the fall cross country season. “Playing the bigger schools is helping us.”

Although the team has lost matches by 2-0 scores on multiple times, including to Navasota, Conner said the girls have kept the matches close.

The team finished second in the silver bracket during an Aug. 28 weekend varsity tournament at Navasota, where Richards had a 3-3 record. The team received a plaque, and each girl received a medal.

Richards defeated Hempstead 3-1 on Sept. 7, winning the last game 28-26.

Nance has been an offensive threat after working on her timing when she hits the ball.

“I used to be ahead of it,” she said. “I would go too early. I would want to hit the ball early, so it would hit the net most of the time.”

She is among the five quality freshman hitters Conner mentioned. “We have a lot of athleticism,” he said.

Among the returners is junior setter Kylie Bates, among the upperclassmen to alternate as captain. She said the offense has improved because “we’ve got more hitters.”

She played for a team during the summer, her first time doing so.

“I’ve gotten a lot better with my hitting,” said Bates, also on the cross country squad. “I do tipping too and pushing the ball.”