By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
One can hardly blame the Jefferson Davis Community College Lady Warhawks volleyball team for directing all of their attention to the future rather than dwelling on the past.
The past, at least last season, is something JDCC players and coach Misti Nims would like to forget. Not only did the Lady Warhawks limp across the finish line with a 3-29 record, they ended the season with a 20-game losing streak. Even worse, JDCC dropped its final 42 sets.
As has been the case in recent seasons, JDCC is not blessed with a lot of size The tallest Lady Warhawk is 5-9, and JDCC has just one player at that figure.
Although JDCC will be young at the setter spot with 5-6 freshman Kathy Phillips (Baker, Fla.) and 5-4 freshman Megan Petrie (Milton, Fla.), it should have a lot more stability than it had last year.
Ashley Willoughby, a 5-8 sophomore from Pensacola, Fla., and 5-5 freshman Amanda Pullen (Chattahoochee, Fla.) will battle for an outside hitter spot on the left side.
Ashley is a returning starter. She has pretty good quickness and hits with power. I think her game has become more consistent this year and that probably goes back to our setters,” Nims said. &#8220Amanda has a very good vertical jump and she also has some quickness.”
The right side outside hitter position will be played by 5-7 sophomore Robyn Duncan (Pace, Fla.) and 5-8 freshman Emily Doty (Prattville).
Jessica Stafford, a 5-8 sophomore from Milton, was moved to setter last season out of necessity, but has been moved back to her normal middle hitter spot this year. She will be joined in the middle by 5-9 freshman Lindi Thompson (Chelsea).
JDCC has four specialist players. Kandace Stewart, a 5-5 sophomore from Bay Minette, Jessica Brown, a 5-5 sophomore from Deatsville, and Jaclyn Seay, a 5-4 freshman from Pace, are primarily defensive specialists. Tiffany Lively, a 5-4 sophomore from Milton, is primarily a serving specialist.
JDCC will be trying to improve on a 2-14 record and an eighth place finish in the Alabama Community College Conference.
JDCC's season starts Aug. 25.