The Highland volleyball team has a busy start to the season with back-to-back tournaments Monday and Tuesday. The Huskies are in Belle Plaine tonight for matches with the Baxter Bolts and home Plaineswomen. Highland started the year at Keota Monday where they finished 2-2 on the night, posting wins over Lone Tree and English Valleys and losses to Hillcrest Academy and the home Eagles. The Huskies were 17-13 a year ago, 6-2, runners-up in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North Division and first year head coach Karlee Hugg, an assistant on last year’s team, returns key players Hailey Brun, Emersyn Schultz, Ava Sexton Adisyn Prottsman and Brena Hazelett from that squad. Brun, Hazelett and Schultz were All-Conference selections last year.

This is the season opener for Baxter who was 9-20 a year ago, 4-3, fourth in the Iowa Star South. Their kills leaders Abbie Meyer and Adison Bonney with 88 each, assist leader Karlee Koehler with 95, and aces leader Meyer all graduated. They do bring back, Alyvia Burdess with 92 assists, Kendall Brummel with 39 kills and eight blocks, Denver Sulzle with a .148 efficiency, Caydence Sulze with 300 digs and 44 aces, as the statistical leaders. The Huskies swept the Bolts a year ago 25-19 and 25-15.

Belle Plaine was 17-14 last year, winning the South Iowa Cedar League title with a 7-1 mark. The Plaineswomen lost leader Kayleah Laughlin with 271 digs, 259 kills, 69 aces, 36 blocks and a .242 efficiency to graduation but do return Allison Hoover’s 462 assists, 204 digs, and 38 aces and Jules Stamp’s 24 blocks. Belle Plaine swept Highland last year 25-13 and 25-23. Action starts tonight at 5p.m. At Belle Plaine.