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Split Decision: McKinney wins some, losses some as volleyball season begins
Photo courtesy of Rog Pachuta / buzzzphotos.com
By Andrew Snyder, asnyder@starlocalnews.com
Newly-hired head volleyball coach Jessica Camp didn't have to wait long for her first win at McKinney. The Lionettes opened the season Tuesday by splitting a dual meet against Waxahachie, who they lost to in straight sets, and Wylie, who they beat, 3-1.
“It's been fun,” Camp said a week into McKinney's season. “We're just changing the mentality to a positive one and an encouraging one. The girls are really buying in and looking for a good season. It's been really good.”
Camp took over the Lionettes program after spending three years as head coach at then newly-opened Frisco Heritage. In her final year at Heritage, the Lady Coyotes finished third in District 9-4A to qualify for the playoffs.
Rounding out the roster are newcomers Claire Embry, Shannon Green, Lindsey Smith, Tessa Meredith, Jillian Mercer and Hannah Pruitt. Of that group, Embry, a freshman outside hitter, is among the most promising.
“They seem to be buying into the whole team idea,” Camp said. “We have a big team and not everyone gets playing time, but everyone is feeling positive and feeling like we want to do something big this year and something that's pretty special.”
Making the playoffs will be harder than ever this season, though. Along with making the jump to Class 5A, the Lionettes will be landing in one of the tougher volleyball districts around. McKinney Boyd – which reached the state finals last year and has all the pieces in place for a return there – headlines a group that also includes Allen, Plano Senior, Plano East and Plano West.
In preparation for a tougher schedule, McKinney is stepping up its intensity in practice.
“Practices are hard and that's something they're getting used to,” Camp said. “But they're okay with it and they see that when the results come, that work is going to be worth it.”
After their season-opening matches, the Lionettes broke into tournament play by joining the 32-team field at the Denton Ryan Kick-Off Classic. They opened the tournament with three games on Friday –losing to Red Oak in the first and beating Monterrey in the second – and played two more Saturday (results not available at press time). McKinney North also participated in the tournament.
“The girls are playing hard and playing scrappy,” Camp said. “We're sticking with it and playing point-by-point. Every game we've lost has been close. We haven't just gotten blown away, even if it's losing in three games.”
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