Varsity volleyball is back and ready to jump into a new season with new opportunities. The Perry volleyball team record for 2018 was overall (32-4-1). Girls’ Junior Varsity was also very talented last year, they went undefeated (17-0).  Varsity volleyball had a very successful year last year but suffered a devastating loss in the semifinals to Corona Del Sol.

Senior, Tatum Stall had more kills (278), attempts (733), serving aces (55), digs (287), and solo blocks (6) last year than any other Puma. Coach Fred Mann said, “She’s a powerful girl… she’s got the experience that you need to be a good player.” junior Makayla Long is a transfer from Oregon and has tons of skills to help get the Pumas to that next level. “She’s kind of like our secret weapon…. She bounces balls and it’s ridiculous so she’s a stud,” Stall said. 

One of the strengths that many girls on the team share is the experience they have in volleyball, and the experienced coaches who are able to lead them. Stall says, “We do have a lot of experience, especially after losing 10 seniors last year, it makes us super determined to just get better…. The underclassmen are a bunch of studs and they are really going to help us this year.” Stall also said “We are running a new offense so that will be a good change to getting past how we have lost two years in a row.”

They are hoping for better games and have put in the preparation to improve their setbacks from last year. Along with  important physical exercises like running and passing have been working on team chemistry and learning how to trust each other in the games. 

According to coach Mann, “We need to solidify our passing.”  Both coach Fred Mann as well as Stall and Long expressed how the student body is part of the success story as well. “I always love playing in front of a big crowd, it gets us hyped up and ready to go,” said  Long.  

 Stall said, “Pretty much all of our girls can jump out of the gym, so there’s balls hitting the 10 foot line and we’re really good dancers… it’s going to be pretty intense and a pretty hype year.” 

Coach Mann expressed his gratitude to the fans who “pay a couple dollars to support the volleyball team”. With that, the pumas are ready to start their season off right and have a successful year doing what they do best.  The first home game is against Desert Vista on Sept 12.