A group of talented returning players, including three seniors, give Superior volleyball coach Kyra McElroy good reason to feel upbeat about her Lady Bobcats for the 2021 Montana high school volleyball season.

The three seniors, all of whom have excelled in other sports during their high school years, bring size, quickness and pure athletic ability to the cause as Superior looks to rebound from a mildly disappointing 2020 campaign that was marred by Covid related situations across the state.

Heading the senior class returnees is all-conference standout Sorren Reese, a highly regarded track star who has been among the top players in the area for the past two years.

Reese, who has engaged in some epic at-the-net battles with Hot Springs standout Katelyn Christensen over the past few seasons, is joined in the middle blocker position by fellow senior Cassie Green, a solid, multi-sport standout.

Green gives the Lady Cats a formidable front line as they head into the trio’s final year of high school volleyball.

Junior Payton Milender, a defensive specialist and outside player, rounds out the top returness to McElroy’s second season at the helm of the Superior program.

The lone loss from last year’s lineup was their only senior, Bailey Milender, Payton’s sister.

“She (Bailey) was a great leader and a very hard worker,” McElroy said. “We are grateful she passed on those traits to her teammates, especially her sister”.

The crew, backed by a solid group of upcoming underclass members, will be looking to improve on their 4-5 record during the Covid plagued year which shortened and altered their play.

But McElroy is encouraged by the attitude and mix of talent she has already seen from this year’s group of more than 20 players who turned out for the first day of practice.

“This year we have a lot of younger girls who came out ready to play elite volleyball,” McElroy said. “Our older players influence the younger classmen to be more competitive and be role models on and off the court. Our attitude going into this year is very positive and energetic, we have a loud and productive group”.

One of the things McElroy said she and the team will be working on is pushing each other to their limits and supporting each other on the court.

“I would also like to improve on our serve receive skills,” she added. “Our district has some very challenging servers.”

McElroy said her team has a powerful offense which, when the passing in on target consistently, sees increased successful hitting percentages.

A former University of Montana-Western player, the second-year coach says her approach to the game involves having fun and striving to be better.

“I believe that creating an enjoyable atmosphere is important,” she said. “I want the gym to be a place the players come to better themselves in more ways than one. A team of different personalities and skills meshing as one on the court to achieve a common goal. I like letting the players know they are playing for something greater than themselves: each other”.

McElroy said Noxon and Hot Springs are the two of the top teams the Lady Bobcats will face this year.

“Last year we went head to head with Noxon during the season and lost to them during districts by two in the fifth set. They are a very competitive team and we look forward to playing them again this season.

“Another team is Hot Springs. With 225 digs and 261 kills during the 2020 season, they are a challenging team to play.”

The Bobcats open play Thursday Aug. 26 with a home against always tough Seeley, then travel that weekend to Drummond.