BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD
Bainbridge-Guilford challenged for a league championship last year, and has perhaps the most dynamic player in the league, senior Morgan Bullis, along with fellow senior hitter Tierney Decker to lead this year’s attack. Bullock has proven an all-around threat as a hitter, setter, server, and defender.
Bullock will work in more of a setter’s role this year with last year’s setter, expected to return, forgoing her final season due to a work commitment.
Four other players also return from last season, and will move from reserve to key roles. Cadi Barber will help out with setting, hitting, and defense; seniors Ashlyn Decker and Lindsey Castle will add to the hitting; and sophomore Camille Hawkins gives the Bobcats options up front as an ambidextrous hitter.
At libero is exchange student Lizzie Guis, and Oxford transfer, Montessa Warner, will see time as a defensive specialist.
Newcomers to the program are seniors Autumn Trask, Allysa Ostrander, and Meghan Hopkins, who played volleyball at lower levels. “It should be an interesting year, and I look forward to a lot of hard work,” said B-G’s longtime coach, Pam Tompkins. “I also look forward to seeing how these ladies improve over the season.”

NORWICH
The offseason has been a fruitful one for Norwich volleyball, who won a late-summer tournament, and also captured the Johnson City summer league title. As a result, Norwich is seeking a third sectional playoff appearance in four years, and hopes to achieve the program’s second winning season in four years.
“This summer we played a lot of volleyball in two different leagues, and had a lot of gym time,” said head coach Shelly Alger. “We have height in our middle positions, which will bring back a strong attack for us, and our outside veterans will score for us often, too. We are also running a new twist to our offense with strong setters this season.
Alger has an abundance of returning starters, and experienced reserves, all of whom are capable of valuable contributions. At the outside hitting positions are seniors Courtney Scheer and Jacasa Currie. Vanessa Salerno, a junior, and Meghan Komendarek, a sophomore, are strong middle hitters. Depth is also plentiful at setter with third-year starter Caitlyn Brown along with Cassie Birtch.
Returning senior libero, Lauren Laughlin, will anchor the Tornado defense. “Our defense will run more with our libero (Laughlin), and we have the makings of a strong blocking front,” Alger said.
Newcomers up from the junior varsity are juniors Jessica Dye and Kaitlyn Jackson, both setters, who will also see libero and outside hitting duties. Junior Ashley Graves and senior Meg Coles will also fill in at outside hitter. “I am fortunate to have such a great group of young ladies this year, and I’m looking forward to what these girls can accomplish,” Alger said. “We have started our bucket list for the season, and we hope to have the bucket runneth over.”

UNADILLA VALLEY
Stacey Kline, a coach in the Norwich system last year, assumes the head coaching reins at Unadilla Valley this season.
Kline, who was still assembling a starting lineup in the preseason, inherits just two seniors on the nine-girl roster. Veterans back are setter Nicole Mackey and all-around player Shannon McIntyre.
Coming up from the junior varsity is a quintet of juniors, Emily Anderson, Blaize Kolvik, Hannah Lazarus, Lauren Lloyd, and Cassie Montgomery. At 6-foot-1, Lazarus led the team in kills in UV’s opening-match win over Sidney. In addition to Mackey, Kolvik will share the setting duties.
To add depth, Kline brought up two sophomores, Bailey Miller and Gina DelSontro, to fill out the roster.
“We’re focusing on communication on the court, and court coverage,” Kline said of preseason practice. “We lost a lot of seniors to graduation, but we have a great deal of talent. Our team is driven and determined. We will keep our heads up and have a confident season.”

Editor’s note: Attempts to contact coaches from Greene and Oxford for team information were unsuccessful.