GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Despite joining the Sharyland Pioneer volleyball team last year as the only freshman on a 14-player roster, setter Audrey Smith quickly took the reins of the offense.
After leading the Lady Diamondbacks in assists and earning District 31-5A newcomer of the year honors, Smith is back to lead a senior heavy roster that has aspirations of winning a district title in 2015.
“She came in nervous last year, because she was a freshman and we had so many upperclassmen,” senior middle hitter Maddie Hatzold said. “She’s adjusted well, she’s a sophomore now, and she’s very good.”
Smith said she didn’t feel any pressure coming into her first season, not after proving herself with success on the club level. Instead, she was nervous about the kind of relationships she would develop with her teammates.
“Sometimes I felt like I was overlooked by a lot of the girls who were older,” Smith said. “I didn’t want to feel really controlling. But that just boosted my leadership skills.”
Coach Laura Cavazos describes Smith as a finesse player with a strong knowledge of the game. One of Smith’s biggest strengths is her ability to communicate with the older players, taking criticism and refining what type of set works well for each player.
Smith also fit well in Pioneer’s fast-paced style of play, Cavazos said.
“She came in and she was really prepared,” Cavazos said. “She knows how to handle those pressure situations that most freshmen kind of fold under. She’s been in leadership roles before, so she really stepped into our offense and did a really good job.”
Coming back for 2015, Smith feels she’s gotten better as a result of experience. Hatzold said she’s seen a more confident setter, a sentiment Cavazos echoed.
“The maturity is definitely there,” Cavazos said. “There’s a trust factor within her teammates. They know what type of player she is, and she’s a go-getter. They’re responding well to that.”
The majority of Pioneer’s players are very familiar with Smith and her style of play after the team graduated just two seniors in 2014.
The current roster features eight seniors, including seven who played on varsity last season. Hatzold and Lopez are the captains, while outside hitter Deandra Garza and defensive specialist Bianca Garza also earned all-district recognition in 2014.
“We connect really well, and we don’t bicker with each other,” senior captain Elise Lopez said. “We have trust in each other. We play really well together.”
The comfort and familiarity has played a big role in the up-and-down start to Pioneer’s season. The team eclipsed last year’s showing with a 5-4 mark last week at the Westwood Showcase in Austin, but also proved capable of lapses in a loss against the Mission Veterans JV team on Thursday to open the Mission Tournament.
Cavazos is hopeful the start of classes will remind the players of the importance of making the most of their senior season.
“They’ve really taken it upon themselves to make sure that their senior year is what they want it to be,” Cavazos said. “We’ve been focusing on that and setting goals, and so I think early on it does help. I think sometimes, I don’t want to say we get overconfident, but we need to push ourselves a little bit more.”