Coming off of a stellar 2014 season, the Pumas have picked up where they left off. As of press time, PHS was 21-3 (6-1 power point matches), and they are not only winning matches, they are pummeling their opponents.

In fact, of their 24 matches to date, 18 have been shut-out victories.

With that on-court success, the team has become closer and more connected which is vital for improving their dynamic on and off the court.

Head coach Fredd Mann credits the camaraderie to his players’ own drive to succeed.

“We’ve got a good, hard working team out there that’s trying to get better,” he explained.

The girls remain extremely confident in their progress so far this season giving them hope for future games.

Sophomore outside hitter Ellie McDonald expressed her excitement for the early season success, saying “so far the season has been going amazing.”

The improving team dynamic has not only made an impact on the team’s confidence, but also their power as a whole. This isn’t to say that past squads were not close – they were – but each person interviewed said there was something different about the dynamic of the 2015 club.

“We are working better together on the court as the season goes on and we’ve started to gel,” McDonald said.

“Every day we become closer and closer as a team,” senior outside hitter Taylor Knoll stated. “It all starts off the court, the relationships that are built among us make us stronger overall.”

As the Pumas enter the toughest stretch of their schedule this week (as section play begins), Perry players are littered among section leaders in kills, aces and blocks, according to MaxPreps.

Team unity might be the secret weapon that could propel this team to new heights.

“In female sports, the unity of the girls is typically something that is super-important in terms of winning,” Mann said.

As for goals of improvement this season, the team hopes to continue to progress by eradicating small mistakes and obtaining their close personal bonds.

Knoll added, “I hope we stay close as a team throughout the season and continue to play hard and correct the little mistakes we make out on the court.”

McDonald hopes to try out different skills than usual out on the court and perfect the ones she has already learned, noting that she is looking forward to trying new things on the court as the team moves into the home stretch of the season.

The Pumas can make these improvements by leaving their comfort zone and taking a few risks. It is difficult to get results without taking a few chances along the way.

The immense amount of talent presented by each of the players does not hurt either. “We’ve got some talent out  there,” Mann said. “We have clearly improved a ton.”

Power rankings released

On Sept. 22, the AIA released its initial power rankings. Perry. With a 6-1 record, opened at No. 8.