Accolades highlight Lady Tigers' annual volleyball awards banquet

Awards and letters were handed out at the Mountain Home Lady Tigers volleyball awards banquet on Nov. 5.

In awards voted on by the varsity team, the most inspirational award went to Caitlin Kreyche.

Jessica Liercke was voted the most improved player. The workhorse award went to Arlene Futch, who also led the team with a 90 percent serving percentage.

The most valuable player award went to Nickayla Skinner, and Dylan Dean was named best all-around player.

Mountain Home Lady Tiger varsity volleyball coach Rachele Asbury also announced that Blas Lord and Arlene Futch both made honorable mention all-conference in volleyball.

Looking back on the season, Coach Asbury acknowledged that, as far as won-loss records go, it was not that great a season. As far as improvements made by her players over the years, there were lots of successes.

"I just told the girls that wins and losses don't show the progression these girls have had and what they have improved from when I first started coaching these girls. I had them when they were freshmen and they're completely different players than they were then. The things that they are able to do now versus when they started as freshmen is amazing."

Coach Asbury loses seven seniors, who will be hard to replace, but she thinks the future is bright for Lady Tiger volleyball.

"We have a lot of good girls coming up. They're going to have to get together and play quite a bit so that there's more of a meshing, because a lot of them haven't played together much.

"We do have a pretty large class coming from our eighth grade -- I know they had 44 girls try out for 24 spots, so there's a lot of girls coming from the eighth grade. Hopefully, with them going to the different camps they've been going to for the past couple of years -- through fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh grades -- it is going to start bringing up some people that have more experience on the volleyball court."

Mountain Home Lady Tiger JV volleyball coach Erin Markus handed out awards to her JV girls.

Earning the team spirit award was Shelby Bessler. The most improved player award went to Tessa Pachner. The positive attitude awards went to Hailey Belt and Hannah Barresi. Danielle Reed and Stephanie Jewell earned the hard worker awards. Emilee Schetzie claimed the program commitment award while Kelsey Egusquiza earned the team clown award.

The most valuable player award went to Kristina Elliott.