The Bishop Lynch volleyball program kicks off the 2019 season Saturday morning with scrimmages at Lovejoy High School, beginning their tough annual trek through August which always includes some of the best competition the state has to offer.
The varsity returns a dozen lettermen, including All-State setter Alex Galicia, from a squad that finished 28-12 in 2018 and reached the TAPPS 6A state semifinals. However, they will have to replace Izzy Clavenna (Boston College) and Lauryn Green (Tulane), each of whom are playing at the collegiate level.
Galicia totaled 584 assists and 212 digs last year as a junior while splitting time with two other setters – Izzy Aguilar (403 assists) and Elizabeth Edwards (129 assists). Katie Blomberg is the top returning hitter with 220 kills a season ago. The junior also had 260 digs. Junior middle blocker Emma Cuneo posted 94 kills and is the team's top returning blocker with 88 in her first varsity campaign. Sydney Broussard (576 digs) had a solid sophomore year and returns as one of the top defensive players.
The Friars will scrimmage at Lovejoy tomorrow morning, at Southlake on Monday, and open the season Tuesday night at McKinney Boyd. The varsity contest is scheduled for 6:00 pm. The Friars' first home game is Tuesday, Aug. 13 against state-ranked Plano West. District play begins Sept. 17 when the ladies travel to Plano to take on John Paul II.
Head coach Tricia Roos has a career milestone well in her sight, with career win No. 400 just a few games away. She enters the season with a career record of 388-116 (77 percent).