New-look Panthers have familiar goals

There’s a different look to the Glencoe-Silver Lake volleyball team – and it goes far beyond the squad’s brand-new uniforms.
Thirteen new players fill out this season’s varsity roster, with only six returnees – Lexi Hansch, McKenna Monahan, Mickalyn Frahm, Rhyan Herrmann, Olivia Lemke and Kasidy Cacka – as the team looks to win a fourth-consecutive Wright County Conference West title.
“Practices are looking well, but we have a lot to work on and only hope to better our performance as the season goes on,” coach Lori Schwirtz said.
The team’s three seniors – Hansch, Monahan and Frahm – make up its captaincy this autumn as the squad continues to hold lofty goals.
“Our team would like to take the conference title and get a step further in section play,” Schwirtz said.
A “step further” in section play would mean advancing out of the Section 2AA North subsection semifinals, a round that has claimed GSL in each of the last three seasons.
That’s no small feat with the likes of Belle Plaine and Norwood Young America (which claimed a three-game sweep at GSL last week) also residing in the 2AA North.
Beyond the court, Schwirtz hopes that this campaign will help build influential qualities in her players.
“I look forward to a successful season and building strong leadership character in each one of these girls no matter what their role is on the team,” she said. “I would like to say we will grow by leaps and bounds and have a strong mental presence (this season).”