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Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Auburn High School volleyball setter Haley Shepherd (center) and libero Joelle Gross (right) participate in a passing drill during practice. While five of the team's six seniors were part of the regional championship season last year, only Gross played in all six rotations as the starting libero.

Auburn High School volleyball coach Sherry Millirons (right) watches as players Jordan Link (left) and Brandi Van Curen participate in a blocking drill during practice. The team is starting the season 3-0, including a victory against Blacksburg on Aug. 27. "They play with intensity and I was impressed with the heart they played with, that is the reason we won that match," Millirons says.

Auburn High School volleyball player Holly Saul smashes the ball over the net during practice. We definitely want to keep that volleyball tradition at Auburn alive," Saul says. "The run last season showed what we are capable of doing and it makes us compete harder, stay positive and push to be the best we can."

| Chuck Altizer

Special to The Roanoke Times

"Go hard today can't worry 'bout the past coz that was yes-sterday, I'ma put it on the line coz it's my time. I gotta stay on my grind coz it's my time."

This is the chorus of the hit single from recording artists Fabolous and Jeremiah and it is the rallying cry and entrance music for the Auburn High School volleyball team this season -- and for good reason.

The Eagles reached the state semifinals last season behind a group of seniors who were some of the best athletes to come through the Riner school.

But that was last season and now this year's seniors, along with the rest of the squad, know it will be their turn to shine this year.

"It is a really cool song and fits us well," senior libero Joelle Gross said. "It's our time because we have always been in the shadow of the class above but now it is our time to shine."

"The first time I heard the song I knew it was the song for us," senior Katelyn Day said. "It was like they wrote the song for us."

The precedent is there for them to shine.

As eighth-graders, this group of seniors went undefeated on the middle school level. Then after an 18-2 junior varsity campaign their freshman year, in which they went undefeated in the district, the team hit a brick wall in the form of teammates from their own school.

When the group grew as sophomores and juniors, they were having a tough time cracking an already loaded line up that featured four year starter and UNC-Ashville signee Chelsie Kenley and another Eagle volleyball great Tabby Whitlock.

Add two more senior spark plugs in Sabrina Huff and Leslie Sink and finding a spot on the floor at volleyball-tradition-rich Auburn was difficult.

"I got frustrated and it definitely taught me patience," said Day, who didn't see much floor time last season during the state tournament run.

"I just had to not get frustrated with myself and know things were all going to work out."

But that doesn't mean they aren't thankful for the group before them and the knowledge those players passed their way.

"They showed us you don't give up, they had their down moments but they didn't give up," setter Haley Shepherd said. "Leslie (Sink) was a bit of a role model for me, how she was always intense and stayed up the entire time she was on the floor."

While five of the six seniors were part of the regional championship season last year, only Gross played in all six rotations as the starting libero. Holly Saul saw action in three rotations as an outside hitter, while Shepherd played as a second setter.

Day and Lesleigh Smith saw little time last season, while Kerri Altizer sat out last season but is back and ready to rejoin her teammates.

"It is good to be back," Altizer said. "We have all worked hard since the seventh grade for our chance and now it is our time to shine."

The team has already made some shining moments this season, jumping out to a 3-0 start including a come-from-behind victory against Blacksburg on Aug. 27. Down two games to none and tied at 25 in the third game, the Eagles were able to work their way back to win the match, 3-2.

"We had our backs against the wall in that match," Auburn coach Sherry Millirons said. "They play with intensity and I was impressed with the heart they played with, that is the reason we won that match."

It was a test Auburn needed as the Eagles strive for their goals this season. Most of which is keeping the tradition of volleyball alive by first earning a regional berth.

"Our goal is to finish in the top two of the district and make the regions," Smith said. "Last year we had a Kenley and a Tabby Witlock but this year we are going to have to work as a team if we are going to get where we want to go."

"We definitely want to keep that volleyball tradition at Auburn alive," Saul said. "The run last season showed what we are capable of doing and it makes us compete harder, stay positive and push to be the best we can."

The road for the team to shine may be more difficult for this year's squad, as a more balanced district and tough non-conference slate await the squad.

The team's other two victories this season were over James River and George Wythe, both of which were in the Region C tournament last year. And the Bruins figure to be a top team in the Group AA River Ridge District.

"They were very dedicated this summer and they want to carry on the tradition," Millirons said. "They have always had the talent now they have the opportunity to do something special."