The Absegami High School girls’ volleyball team is relying on four returning seniors, including NSCAA Division I prospect Christina Monroe.
The 6-foot, 1-inch tall middle hitter is among the best players in the area, if not the state, and helped lead the Braves to the eighth-seed last year in the Southern Division.
“She is phenomenal,” Absegami coach Kerry Flukey said.
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Monroe, one of four captains on the Braves, has plenty of help in fellow captains and seniors Kasey Frazier, Hailey Marr and Alyssa Camp. Monroe and Frazier have played varsity all four years of their career.
“The four returning seniors have playing experience,” Flukey said. “They handle the situations. Not a lot fazes them. They are just very mature on and off the court.”
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How successful the Braves are this season may depend on how much the inexperienced players improve over the next few months.
“Those four have a lot of experience,” Flukey said. “They definitely are our standouts. Marr is a really strong player. They have years of experience. We are not that young because we have a lot of seniors and juniors, but they have to get caught up to the girls that have experience. But they play well together. I have been happy with the scrimmages so far. They look pretty solid.”
The Braves, who are entering their fifth season of varsity volleyball, will also count on Erika Hernandez, Imani Reed, Lorraine Manansala, Dana Cafone and Courtney Hovendon.
Despite that lack of experience, Flukey believes that the Braves will have another successful season.
“I plan on us doing as well as we did last year,” Flukey said. “The girls are doing great. The young ones are improving and learning each day. I plan on doing as well as last year.”
Absegami is among the best, if not the best team in the area, but has some serious competition from programs in Gloucester and Camden counties.
“Williamstown was No. 1 in the state,” Flukey explained. “We do play them and they are very good. They are very well coached. Cherokee and Eastern are always strong programs.”
