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Sports

Miramonte Girls Volleyball Preview: Rebuilding Mode Doesn't Deter Matadors

After losing eleven seniors over the past two seasons, Miramonte tries to rebound.

School: Miramonte
Sport: Girls volleyball
Coach: Shannon Ross
2009 record: 27-3 (12-0 DFAL)
Key returners: Kirsten Rutledge, senior; Jane Siri, senior; Sarah Vaccaro, senior.
Top newcomers: Beryl Slezak, sophomore; Audrey Breitwiser, junior.
Quote: "I'm never the person that's really happy with anything I like to grow and make better." — Shannon Ross.
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Shannon Ross knows her Miramonte High girls volleyball team will feel the void of departed seniors. The third-year coach knows with those departures, this fall may be an uphill battle, but one she wants to finish on top of.

After an early playoff exit last season, Ross wants to do the opposite of last year's pattern of an excellent start, then downhill play. She wants this years' team to finish strong for the stretch run.

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"We definitely did very well in (Diablo Foothill Athletic League), but we would have liked to have gone a lot further in the playoffs than we did," she said.

While the Matadors only lost three matches all season and went undefeated in DFAL play, they were eliminated in the third round of the North Coast Section playoffs,

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Ross said she likes that her team is pushing itself in practice to get ready for the regular season and is doing its best to make the team better.

"This year's team is going to be a lot different than last year's team," Ross said. "This is what we kind of like to call a rebuilding year."

She hopes that by mid-season the rebuilding will equate to good volleyball on the court, and with that, a great run towards the finish.

"For this team because it's so different because I just hope to build throughout the year. I hope that by the end of the season, we are playing our best volleyball, whatever that may be."

Ross said her team capitans, seniors Kirsten Rutledge and Jane Siri will be a big part of the team this year. She added that senior Sarah Vaccaro is one of the best setters she's ever seen. Vaccaro joined the team as a freshman and is a two-year starter.

"Rutledge has come really far from where she was last season. She has grown a lot over the club season we just had, and Jane is the same way," Ross said.

But the biggest surprise this season may come in the form of sophomore Beryl Slezak. She will be a starter this season, and may turn a few heads during the year.

"She's got more potential than anyone I've seen in a long time and I'm excited to see what she's going to do," Ross said.

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