The rebuilding began for the Buckingham County High School varsity girls volleyball team last year, and Head Coach Alan Hershberger looks for construction to continue positively in 2016.

The Lady Knights went 2-18 last season, falling in the first round of the conference tournament to Dan River High School.

Five Buckingham players have graduated since then, including starting setter Bailey Anderson, starting middle hitter Ashley Hellerstedt and starting outside hitter Angelique Briley.

“That was a big gap to fill in, but we have some great players this year, as well,” said Hershberger, who enters his second year as the team’s head coach.

The 2016 squad features a dozen players, all of whom are upperclassmen, with an even split between seniors and juniors.

Hershberger said he is excited about how they will perform when the regular season gets underway Aug. 25.

“Our scrimmages have been encouraging for us,” he said.

The Lady Knights traveled to Dan River High School on Aug. 11 and lost in three sets but showed fight.

“They’re a really tough team, and we played really well,” Hershberger said. “We were very competitive, almost took the third game.”

On Tuesday, Buckingham hosted Gretna High School and took the match to five sets.

“We ended up losing the fifth set by five points, so it was close all the way to the end,” Hershberger said. “I’m hoping to see a few more wins this year, and I think we have progressed a lot since last year, for sure.”

He said his team was definitely at the bottom of the conference in 2015, and exercising care to avoid unrealistic expectations, he added that he would like to see the Lady Knights move toward the middle this season.

“We’re still growing, still learning, still on the upward climb,” he said, hoping for a top-five finish.

Leading the upward climb are three senior team captains who have been playing for a long time. The first is outside hitter Mattie Kish Heslip.

“She’s a lefty, and she’s just an incredible athlete — really quick,” Hershberger said. “She’s one of the shortest girls on the team and jumps the highest.”

The second captain is middle hitter Allison Shifflett.

“She’s a really smart player, great fundamentals,” Hershberger said. “She’s definitely one of the leaders of our team.”

The third captain is outside hitter/setter combo player Rebecca Ragland.

“She’s another great volleyball player — very smart about the game,” Hershberger said. “She knows where to be, knows what position to be in and (is) an outspoken girl, very much a leader of the team, as well.” 

Among the team’s up-and-comers is another outside hitter/setter combo player, junior Briana Potts, who was a strong junior varsity player last year.

“I really have high hopes for her next year to be a leader of the (varsity) team,” Hershberger said. “I think this is going to be a great learning year for her, and I’m really hoping to see big things from her as the year goes on.”

The coach also highlighted junior Sarah Whittington, who set for the JV team last year.

“She’s a natural setter,” he said. “Last year was her first year playing, and so she doesn’t have a lot of experience, but she’s just one of those girls that naturally picks it up.”

Buckingham will open the season on the road against Appomattox County High School on Thursday at 7 p.m.