PRATT, Kans.- The 2019 Beavers volleyball season is beginning its final lap, and though the results may not speak to the truth, first-year head coach Zac Rambo is more than proud of the girls under his watch.
In spite of a current 6-21 record for the Beavers, Rambo has been a firsthand witness to the growth and close-knit culture this den of Beavers has cultivated.
"They're a family, through thick and thin" Rambo said. "They've had some up and downs, and we've had some serious downs, but the one thing about them is they stay together. They still pick each other up. Day in, day out, they are a family and are a group of girls that love to be around each other."
Having previously worked as an assistant at both Friends University as well as Pratt, Rambo is admittedly still learning the ins and outs of being the head guy in charge. However, if there is one aspect of the job that he's grasped, it's continuing to build on the caliber of women he puts on the court.
"The type of girls that are on this team are the type of girls that I want to create a foundation for this program," Rambo said. "They're not just good volleyball players, they're not just good athletes, they're not just good students, but they're good people. They come from good homes that are very supportive, very passionate backgrounds, and those are the kind of girls that I look for."
Again, a 6-21 record may not signify that development is in fact occurring, but the Beavers regular rotation has almost entirely been made up of first-year collegiate players. Among the freshmen that Rambo expects to anchor his lineup in 2020 are a pair of outside hitters that have defied expectation.
"Morgan Schrag and Kylee Harman have been the backbone of this team so far in terms of scoring points," Rambo said. "Both of those girls have been outstanding. Morgan was kind of thrown into a sink-or-swim situation, and she's definitely swam. Girls are naturally drawn to be as competitive as she is.
"The passing has definitely evolved but we're still learning some of our strengths and weaknesses back there. All of my passers are freshmen and they have grown exponentially from the beginning of the year. They've had their downs but they've remained a very close unit and they always pick each other up."
The Beavers volleyball team will conclude the 2019 season with a road game an October 18 road game at Butler, followed by a triangular setup at Hesston College over the weekend. Pratt will play three consecutive home games, with the latter two including Sophomore Day the afternoon of October 26, and a Pink Out-themed match against Friends University's junior varsity team on October 31.
Coach Rambo will be looking for his team to close out the 2019 season with a string of wins to carry into the offseason.
"I'd like to end the season with a couple of 'W's. We're in every game for the most part, and even when we go down and we lose a bad set, we still respond. That's encouraging to the girls but wins would be a little more encouraging.