As the 2026 volleyball season approaches, the Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions are preparing to build on their previous successes, despite entering the campaign with a smaller roster. The team is focused on maintaining competitiveness within the Central Washington B League, where they concluded the 2025 season with a respectable 10-8 record.
Head Coach Dean Spurbeck acknowledged the challenges posed by a reduced roster, particularly following the end of the partnership between MLCA and Covenant Christian School for athletics. However, he remains optimistic about the talent available, noting that many of the returning players were starters last season. "We lost some people, but we'll be able to fill in, so that’ll be nice. Not quite at the numbers that we normally have, but we’ll make it work," Spurbeck stated.
The Lions faced a tough postseason last year, entering the district tournament as the fourth seed but were eliminated in the second round by the fifth-seeded Pateros. This year, the squad will lean heavily on the experience and leadership of seniors Abby Stanley and Taylor Starnes, both of whom are eager to make their final season memorable.
Starnes expressed her excitement about the upcoming season, saying, "I'm really excited about it, a little nervous. This is my second year here and last year was amazing for my junior year, starting off. Everybody's amazing, all the girls are so kind, I love the community here and I'm really glad that I can spend my senior year here." Meanwhile, Stanley reflected on the rapid passage of time, stating, "It’s wild. I just can’t believe it’s gone by so fast, but I’m really excited to see how much the girls have improved over the summer."
Both players recognize the importance of stepping into leadership roles, especially with a younger team. Stanley emphasized the need for seniors to foster leadership qualities in their teammates while also ensuring that the joy of the game remains a priority. Starnes is particularly looking forward to the camaraderie that comes with traveling and competing alongside her teammates.
Despite the youth of the squad, which consists primarily of sophomores and juniors, Spurbeck sees potential in the team's development. He noted, "Some of those younger ones are starting to get older, and you can notice a difference with just their strength and stuff." The coaching staff has been focusing on enhancing ball control in practice, aiming to implement a strategy that distributes the ball more evenly among hitters, rather than relying solely on outside hitters.
The overarching goal for the Lions remains to qualify for the state tournament, but Spurbeck emphasizes that improving ball control will be crucial for achieving this objective. He believes that the intelligence and maturity of the returning players will significantly contribute to the team's performance throughout the season. "I want them to be able to think and not just go to a spot. I want them to be able to look and see what’s going on, who they’re looking at and come up with a plan in their head of what they’re doing," he explained.
The Lions will kick off their season at home against Wilson Creek on September 8 at 6:15 p.m., marking the beginning of what they hope will be a successful campaign.
Leave a Comment