Coming off a three-win season in 2021, the Siloam Springs volleyball team is looking to change its fortunes in 2022.
A solid performance this past week at team camp at Hendrix College is a good start.
The Lady Panthers' varsity squad went 6-2 overall at Hendrix, while the junior varsity went 5-2, according to head coach Joellen Wright.
"It was a good start," Wright said. "We had never been there and it was small. With a different mix of kids, we have a freshman, sophomores and juniors and seniors that are all playing varsity. Definitely, some of them have been here, but some of them haven't. It was a great camp experience to figure out who's better beside who with the chemistry pieces. Who's better at right, who's better at outside? How's our freshman setter going to handle stuff?"
Siloam Springs attended the camp with Morrilton, Arkadelphia, Conway Christian, Little Rock Southwest and Paris.
Wright said the Lady Panthers had the most trouble with Morrilton, who featured a great outside hitter.
Several Lady Panthers had solid camps, Wright said, including senior Anna Wleklinski, who is moving from setter/hitter to an all-around six-rotation player.
"As a passer, she may have led us in digs," Wright said. "Where we position her, she gets the most digs. She passed really well. She's calm. That's kind of her personality. She hit well. I was happy with that."
Junior Jetta Broquard battled some shoulder issues but still played well.
Junior Lillian Wilkie played some in the middle with the Lady Panthers trying to work on their depth there.
"She'll be solid," Wright said of Wilkie.
Siloam Springs has two middle blockers -- seniors Faith Ellis and Esther Norwood -- out with injuries until at least early August, Wright said.
Sophomores Ruth Hansen saw time in the middle at Hendrix and she and Aveary Speed will compete there this week as the Lady Panthers head to Branson Licking Team Camp.
Senior Gracie Greer had a good second day of hitting at Hendrix, Wright said.
The Lady Panthers feel good about back row players sophomore Trinity Collette and junior Chaney Stanaland, who are competing with senior Cailee Johnson for libero. Johnson missed Hendrix camp while attending a soccer showcase, Wright said.
The Lady Panthers used two setters in senior Cressa Soucie and freshman Haley Thomas. Thomas also saw some time at outside hitter.
"What Haley's proven to me through ninth grade is she likes to win," Wright said of the freshman. "She's competitive and makes smart decisions. She still has a lot to learn as far as the varsity intricacies of it, but she's up for the challenge. She totally knows this is her opportunity."
Offensively, Wright said the Lady Panthers kept things simple at Hendrix.
"We didn't go into all the offensive systems and stuff," she said. "We just ran the basics of volleyball."
Now the Lady Panthers are gearing back up for another camp. They leave Sunday for Branson, where they'll hit Silver Dollar City, and then participate in team camp the next several days.
As of presstime, Wright had not seen a schedule, but she is confident there will be stiff competition at Branson.
Wright said the camp asks for coaches to rate themselves, and she said she always rates the Lady Panthers higher than they are so that they can be placed in a more competitive bracket.
"I want to see exactly where we are, because when we get to conference it's going to be top of the top," she said. "We have some of the best volleyball in the state in our conference and our classification, for sure with Valley View coming over (to Class 5A). ... It'll be a lot of volleyball, three days of volleyball. A lot of opportunity to get to know each other. I was really pleased with how they get along and how they treat each other so far."