By Alex Benzegala
Panhandle Post
Fight to finish. Those three words are the mindset of the Alliance Volleyball program as they are set to open the season on the road at Gering on Thursday.
Expectations are high for the Alliance VB program in 2023, coming off of a 16-17 record last season, but with a handful of starters coming back, the Bulldogs are poised to be competitive yet again in a grueling Western Conference.
Head Coach Manda Clarke is in her 2nd season has Head Coach and said last year the season went well as they fell in the post-season to a Sidney program that made the State Tournament.
Clarke says the summer went really well for her team as the girls attended several team camps and won a camp in Colorado and finished runner up in Chadron. She feels her team has great chemistry and that should show in matches this year.
Looking at some of Alliance's top players, Senior Jaelynne Clarke, who is the daughter of Coach Clarke is coming off a monster season where she was undoubtedly one of the best players not Western Nebraska, but the whole state as she led Class B in Blocks was top-15 in kills. The high school sports website MaxPreps has Clarke in the top-10 players in Nebraska regardless of class. She played as a middle blocker last year, but don't be surprised if plays outside hitter for Alliance this season.
Senior Kinley Pfeiffer returns as the starting setter, as does Senior Haylie Winter as the Libero. Other impact players coming into the season includes Senior Regan Braun, Senior Kaylee Henthorn, Junior Josie Sanders, Junior Shyla Salcido and Junior Macey Seebohm.
As always, the Western Conference is loaded with talent, as Clarke says Sidney returns some of their State Tournament team and and Scottsbluff seems to always be in the mix. Chadron brings back some solid talent as does a young Gering team, who Alliance will face on Thursday night in Gering, with the varsity game at 6:30 on KCOW.
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