New faces dot Fox Chapel volleyball lineup

| Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, TRIB-LIVE

The Fox Chapel girls volleyball team finished with a 10-4 record in section play and ended up 12-5 overall last season. The Foxes’ season ended with a loss to Norwin in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Eight seniors graduated from that squad, including first team All-WPIAL player Ana Spangenberg, second team all-section setter Kayla Slovenec and outside hitters Murphy Patterson and Sarah Supsura.

Key returnees for coach Sara Kirsch are senior middle hitter Katie Kenney and second team all-section libero Des Buccigrossi, a senior.

“They are the only returning starters who won’t be changing positions,” Kirsch said. “Dom Buccigrossi, a senior captain, is moving to setter and another senior, Shannon Fisher, is moving from middle to right side.”

Lauren Heasley, a junior who missed all of last season with an injury, will play the setter position. Senior captain Haley Hermann missed most of last season with an injury and will play at outside hitter. Junior Katherine Chomko will start at middle hitter.

“Tessa Friday has been filling in for Des as our libero after Des injured her ankle in preseason,” Kirsch said. “She is a junior defensive specialist and has been excelling in the libero position. Two major roles will be filled by younger players. Megan Friday, a sophomore, will play the right side and sophomore Jess Michael will the outside hitter.”

A pair of juniors will also find some playing time. Annamarie Fort and Joclynn Eckenrode have been solid at the defensive specialist and right side/middle hitter positions.

Kirsch feels that the team is progressing nicely.

“At our first scrimmage, we served and passed well, which is rare at this time of the season,” she said. “However, we have a lot of new players in positions, and it is going to take some time before we work out the kinks and start playing and jelling as a team.”

Fox Chapel will compete in Section 4-AAAA with Armstrong, Kiski Area, Oakland Catholic, Penn Hills, Plum and Woodland Hills.

“It’s hard to say how the team will do this year,” Kirsch said. “All I can say at this point is that we are going to work very hard and improve a lot. We have good competition that we will see all season, but I am more concerned about how we evolve as a team rather than how many wins and losses we have. Armstrong was the team to beat last year, so I expect them to be just as tough this year. We’re looking forward to the start of the season.”