EARLY – The Early Lady Horns volleyball program’s pursuit of their first “gold ball” continues in 2020 as the season begins with a dual home match Tuesday against Veribest and Wall. The Lady Horns will tangle with Veribest at 1 p.m. and Wall at 4 p.m. Tuesday, with Wall and Veribest playing a match between the contests.

The Lady Horns have become playoff regulars under fourth-year head coach Natalie Whitewood – including a 24-14 season in 2019 that included a 7-3 league mark with a bi-district playoff appearance – but the initial postseason victory and district championship has eluded the program.

However, Whitewood feels the Lady Horns have put in the work to make history this season.

“First off these girls are just working really hard,” Whitewood said. “In the 19 years I’ve coached I’ve never had a group of girls run their mile and get their time in the first week. We got our time (Thursday) morning, so we don’t have to run it again.

“Overall, we’re absolutely fast and they know what I expect out of them. We’re blowing through drills and doing them correctly and it’s been amazing.”

The Lady Horns return an experienced roster, anchored by Alexa Portillo, Taylor Summers, Savannah Holt and Gwen Phillips.

“Alexa Portillo is one of our senior leaders and she was among the kill leaders last year,” Whitewood said. “Taylor Summers is another, she’ll be a junior and is moving back to the outside hitter and setter role, which I’m excited about. The newcomer of the year was Savannah Holt and she’s coming back, along with Gwen Phillips, which will give us two true middles, and then some pretty big hitters.”

Due to the UIL’s guidelines regarding sports in the COVID-19 era, the Lady Horns’ season will start later than usual, and with a lack of tournaments the number of pre-district outings has diminished. Veribest, Wall, Brady, Coleman, Bronte, Lampasas, Lingleville, Brady and Grape Creek are on the slate prior to the Sept. 8 District 8-3A opener Dublin.

“I want us to compete and not take five or six games to get going and I think we’re going to,” Whitewood said of the immediate goals. “Veribest has beaten us every year and I want us to come out and beat them.”

The revamped District 8-3A features Early, archrival Bangs, Dublin, Comanche, Brock, Peaster, Eastland and Millsap – a more challenging draw than the Lady Horns have experienced in recent years.

“It is going to be a little tougher, and I haven’t seen a lot of those teams,” Whitewood said. “I don’t know a whole lot about Brock and Peaster other than they’ve typically in the past been really good, but I really do think we have a good shot this year. I know I say that every year, but I feel like these girls know what I expect so I think we’re going to be right there at the top.”

The key for the Lady Horns to realize their potential this season, according to Whitewood, is consistency – both short-term and long-term.

“We need to remain consist, we can’t have any ups and downs,” Whitewood said. “We can’t win five or six in a row and then come back with a big loss. We have to stay in every match, we can’t kill them in the first two sets, lose the next two and have to fight in a fifth set. We’ve got to consistently be winning, that’s the key to getting that gold ball this year.”

Early Varsity Volleyball Schedule

Aug. 11 Veribest/Wall 1/4 p.m.

Aug. 18 at Brady/Coleman TBD

Aug. 21 Bronte TBD

Aug. 22 Lampasas TBD

Aug. 25 Lingleville TBD

Aug. 29 Brady TBD

Sept. 1 at Grape Creek TBD

Sept. 8 Dublin* TBD

Sept. 12 Comanche* TBD

Sept. 15 Brock* TBD

Sept. 19 at Peaster* TBD

Sept. 22 at Bangs* TBD

Sept. 25 Eastland* TBD

Sept. 29 at Millsap* TBD

Oct. 2 at Dublin* TBD

Oct. 6 at Comanche* TBD

Oct. 10 at Brock* TBD

Oct. 13 Peaster* TBD

Oct. 17 Bangs* TBD

Oct. 20 at Eastland* TBD

Oct. 23 Millsap* TBD

* District 8-3A Match