Early look at Demon volleyball

A new head coach will highlight the Washington Demon volleyball team when they take the court for their first regular season matches of the year in a couple of weeks.

New head coach Lexa Mahr joins the staff in 2016, and will head a team that went 6-21 last season.

With practice starting this week, the team is looking to shake itself out, but  few returners figure to be key contributors for the Demons.

Liv Postl is the top returning Demon in terms of kills, providing 53 last season, just over one per set.

Also helping the offense will be fellow senior Jessie Buchholz and sophomore Isabel Bailey, who are the next top returning Demons in terms of kills, combining for 64 kills in 2015.

Looking to help them up their kill numbers will be junior Megan Mitchell, who served as the Demons? main setter last season, notching 176 assists on the year, nearly three per set.

She also racked up 50 digs on the season for the year, behind Buchholz? 64 as the two top returners in that category.

Buchholz will also look to continue her strong serving from last year, notching a team-best 33 aces in her junior campaign, getting serves over at a clip of .852.

The Demons will open their season at home in a rivalry game with Mid-Prairie on Aug. 25, before traveling to Grinnell on the following Saturday for a tournament.

Check out a full season preview in next week?s edition of The Journal.