Lady Lynx VB aims to improve, have fun this fall

It’s day one of practice, and Brandon Valley volleyball coach Dacia Boehrns isn’t ready to forecast the 2017 season just yet.

“I’m coming in with some uncertainties, and I’m sure they are as well, just because we did graduate eight seniors, and there are some shoes that need to be filled,” said the second-year head coach. “But I feel very confident in the group and what they will do this year, and I’m looking forward to how they will come together as a team and just get better each day. I think that’s what we’re going to work toward this season.”

Four seniors lead the Lady Lynx on and off the court this season: Paige Timmons, Felicity Klinkhammer, Megan Stettnichs and Jada Tschetter. Tschetter said she and her fellow seniors need “to be good role models” and “improve ourselves.”

“We’re a new team, but we’re excited to play this year,” Stettnichs said. 

Boehrns will also look to the junior class for leadership, starting with Macyn Flanigan.

“Toward the end of the year we pulled her in as a sophomore,” the coach said. “We have other juniors that I’ll be looking to see what they can provide. There’s just a lot of uncertainties, so I’m not sure where they will fall. And then you always have to factor in injuries and things that you don’t ever want to plan for, so we have to be able to fill those voids if that does happen.”

Boehrns said she could also utilize players from the sophomore class, too.

“It could come from the sophomore class, it could come from the junior class, I’m not exactly sure what roles they are all going to play. I just hope we have a cohesive team,” she said.

After claiming runner-up honors in 2015, the Lady Lynx bowed out of post-season at the district level last year, finishing 10-12.

“They’ve had a taste of success, worked very hard this summer, spent a lot of time in the gym, in the weight room. The dedication is there on their behalf as well as my behalf, and I’m just looking for a great year this year,” Boehrns said.

“We’re looking for a year of fun,” Timmons said. “We want to go out, play with heart and play our game.”

“The big goal for us this season is not to get caught up in the points and mistakes and to have fun,” Klinkhammer added.

Boehrns said hard work, teamwork and the desire to improve will be keys to a successful season.

“And understanding that there might be points in the season, in practice, in a game that the ball doesn’t fall our way. We need to pick ourselves up and move on to the next play and the next point. We can’t dwell and let points get away from us in a game,” Boehrns said.

The setter position, held by Becca Koehn, is up for grabs. Boehrns said she does have options in senior Tatum Musser, a transfer student-athlete from Lennox, junior Emily Erck, sophomore Avery Myers and freshman Brielle Dixon.

“It’s an open spot right now, so we’ll just see who falls in,” Boehrns said. 

Aberdeen Central and Harrisburg have Boehrns’ respect as contenders for the ESD Conference crown this season.

“But I hope we’re right in the mix,” she said. “I feel very strongly with the group of girls I have, I’m hungry for getting a bid to state, and I hope they’re with me.” 

The Metro Conference is a bit more unpredictable this season, she said.

“The Sioux Falls schools are always tough, but Roosevelt has a coaching change there, so that will be interesting to see how they adjust to Coach VanderWal, and Lincoln is always competitive,” Boehrns said.

The Lady Lynx will see action against teams from both conferences this week. They opened their 2017 campaign against Washington Tuesday, host Mitchell on Thursday and play at Roosevelt Aug. 29. 

“I hope we’ve made our stamp on the volleyball world and we continue to be a team others worry about,” Boehrns said. “All the ball really has to do is hit the floor on the other side of the net. Sometimes there’s finesse and sometimes there’s power, and either way it’s a point and a side-out, and I feel there will be some exciting plays this year.” 

The roster isn’t the only change to the Lady Lynx volleyball program. Assistant coach Missy Johnson stepped down  after last season. Boehrns said Maggie Youngberg will take over the JV program. Following a 15-year absence from coaching, Diane Terpstra returns to the sophomore coach role along with Natasha Wegner, who heads up the ninth grade program.