Indiana 3A Preview: Do The Hornets Rebuild Or Reload?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want $10 off of your registration to our July 27 Stock Up Showcase? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Halfway through our 3A preview, and we're at the "blue-blood" stage. All five of the remaining teams in our reload each have a ton of volleyball history, skill and athleticism that transcends graduating classes. Today's edition will mention the state runner-up from a year ago, the Angola Hornets. With a primary attacker, a decent amount of size, a solid coaching staff and plenty of kids that play club, can they run it back to the title match?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Angola (32-5 in 2024)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I spend a lot of time looking at past stats, past rosters and past schedules predicting and wondering "what if". I'm guessing, of all of the teams listed here, Angola might be one of those teams in the past few years that, if the ball bounced this way or that, a title might have been within their grasp. So much talent has passed through Angola's halls, but fear not! There's still a good amount left over from previous years. When you say Angola, you say <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='237882' first='Maya' last='Harris'],</strong> an Illinois commit who does everything for the Hornets. Easily the top attacker, server and floor defender remaining from a season ago, Maya spent the last season on the Samurai, training with Munciana's top squad. At already 1100+ kills in her career, she should pass 1500 kills and 1000 digs before season's end. Rising sophomore <strong>Kendall Holman</strong> is a nice bit of size that the Hornets need to last well into October, and has the ability to play either right side or middle, depending on the situation. The Hornets graduated their libero, so I'm looking to either <strong>Mady Conrad</strong> or <strong>Aspen Sutton</strong> to wear the special jersey during their senior seasons. With the graduation of their setter (Villanova), there's still a question as to whom will run the offense to such a solid efficiency as they did a year ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction: The Hornets have the tools to run it back, but will they?</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miss Harris finished the season with just under 6 kills per set while almost hitting .400 on the season in 2024. With two other role-playing attackers graduating, she might have to pump that up to 7 kills per set, which (if my math is right) will put her over 2000 career kills. Angola might need every bit of that 7 kills per set, plus even <em>more</em> service pressure from her to compete at the state level. With Roncalli, Tri-West, Cathedral, Northview and Silver Creek all in the southern half of the draw, the Hornets clearly see the "easier" half in their run after the sectional. However, a five-set thriller in the regional (West Lafayette) and a five-set comeback win over NorthWood got them to Worthen. Do they have the tools to do it again? Well, they have Maya. But who's the setter? And will the libero position be locked down by October? Only time and preseason training will tell, as we're all looking forward to August.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->