The Arcadia Valley Tigers were a set away from winning a state championship, but came up just short in last year’s Class 2 title match to Hermann to wrap the best season in school history.

Now comes the hard part: a sequel as good as the original.

Tigers head coach Tara Lamb loses stars like Macey Browers, Laney Tucker and Josie Landrum, but one key returner is all-conference and Regional Radio Dream Team middle hitter Maddie DeMent.

But the Tigers are also geared up for good things at outside hitter with the return of senior Kirsten Day and junior Gracee Smith, and senior Katie Whited is back at the libero to anchor the defense.

Senior Shyanne Smith-Hotchkiss will take over for Browers at setter, but Lamb says the program is full of players who have been preparing to take over for the stars of the past.

The journey to another district championship and possibly another 32-win season begins when Arcadia Valley fires off first serve of the 2019 season in a home match against Dexter on Tuesday, September 3rd.

For the complete interview with AV head coach Tara Lamb, click play on the audio file below.

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