Senior Annie Machesky has been a varsity player since her freshman year. Gargoyle photos by David Porreca (click to enlarge)

Sheri Grill (11) is another returning senior with varsity experience.

Junior Michelle Wong's defensive skills have made her an important varsity contributor since she was a freshman.

URBANA — With a record-setting season in the books, this year’s girls volleyball team is ready for another strong year, but with a few new faces and a much smaller roster.

The loss of six key seniors, including co-MVPs and East Central Illinois all-conference picks Jamie Weiser and Ruthie Welch, leaves this year’s team with only five returning varsity players.

Welch was also a News-Gazette all-area special mention and holds the school record for career aces and assists.

The team has also lost ECIC honorable mention Karen Woodley, co-captain Sarah Pfander, left-side Chelsea Freeland, and right side Claire Johnson.

“We don't have the experience of last year's seniors, but we make up for it in energy and our work ethic,” said senior Annie Machesky, a varsity player since her freshman year. “We have some new varsity players who have really stepped up like [juniors] Rachel Harmon and Tuli Bera.”

Machesky returns to the varsity squad with fellow seniors Sheri Grill, Rachel Skoza (a 2007 News-Gazette honorable mention), and Jessi Sullivan, along with junior Michelle Wong. With two new full-time varsity players (Bera and senior Jasmine Alvarado) and three new floaters (Harmon, junior Chumin Gao, and freshman Jamie Blue), the varsity roster has 10 players.

Also returning is head coach Amanda Palla, a 1997 graduate of Uni High and head coach since 2005. The last three years under Palla have seen continual improvement, which culminated in last year's 20-11 record, the most wins ever by a Uni volleyball team. The squad went 9-3 in the ECIC, finishing second behind powerhouse Decatur Lutheran, one of the top Class 1A programs in the state. (Uni is Class 2A in volleyball.)

This year’s team, however, is the smallest Palla has ever had since she started coaching at Uni. With only three incoming freshmen and others deciding to do other sports and activities, the combined JV/vasity team has only 17 players. Last year’s team had 26.

“It makes the dynamic of practice a lot different, since we can’t do as much scrimmaging during practice,” said Palla.

“The size of the team was a huge shock to me,” said Machesky. “The size will make tournaments harder, but hopefully we will be able to bond easier and have a lot of fun together.”

Nevertheless, the small roster does not seem to be getting in the way of the team and its prospects for the season.

“I think we could be pretty strong this year and have a really good season,” said Sullivan, another varsity player since her freshman year, who had to miss last year's season due to a jaw injury. “We work well together. Each of us is good at certain things, and put together we have a lot of skill.”

The team will start its season on Tuesday with a match at Atwood-Hammond. The Illineks will debut at home Thursday against Oakwood.

“I think everyone's just excited for the season,” said Machesky, “and we are ready to prove to the school we can bounce back from the loss of six key seniors.”