Shelley Glenz and her Verndale Pirates are going on a hunt this fall with a Park Region Conference championship as a prize.
"We return our entire squad from last season and we hope to build on last year's record and section finish," Glenz said. "We also hope to be a strong contender for the conference title."
The Pirates won 22 of their 32 matches last year and placed third behind Henning and Sebeka in the PRC with a 4-2 record.
Glenz took her Pirates into post-season play with a 19-9 record. The Pirates cut up Eagle Valley and Upsala before shocking 10th-ranked Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa to reach the sub-section finals. The Pirates ran into eventual section champion Browerville/Eagle Valley at that point and lost a tough 3-2 decision to the Tigers.
Two of Verndale's floor leaders this season will be seniors Jordyn Glenz and Sarah Moenkedick. Both players are in their fifth year of varsity play. Glenz is set at a middle hitter spot while Moenkedick returns at an outside position.
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Alexys Steege has joined the Pirates this fall and the transfer will play libero for Verndale.
Juniors on the team include last year's starting setters, Haley Stinar and Megan Doughtery, middle hitter Shania Glenz and rightside hitter Alexys Thompson.
Freshman Morgan Glenz returns as an outside hitter.
Glenz expects the Park Region competition her team will face to give them a strong springboard for the playoffs. PRC foes Henning, Sebeka and New York Mills all won more than 20 games last year. Fifth place finisher Bertha-Hewitt won 14 matches. Henning went all the way to the Section 6A finals before losing to Ada-Borup.
