Last modified: Friday, August 24, 2007 12:03 PM PDT Ontario’s Katie Hendon tries to spike the ball over the outstretched arms of teammates Chelsea Skeen (middle left) and Stephanie O’Connor ( right) during practice Thursday in Ontario. The Tigers enter the 2007 season looking to improve on last year’s third-place finish in the Greater Oregon League. Ontario netters rebuilding? By Ronald Bond - Argus Observer Ontario - Entering his fifth season as the head coach of the Ontario girls volleyball team, Rod Williams isn’t completely sure what to expect, especially after losing six seniors — three of whom were all-league performers — to graduation last season. Initially, he said the 2007 season could almost be a rebuilding year for the Tigers, but the way the team has performed in practice recently is making him change that thinking. “Our last two practices have been solid,” he said Thursday. One thing is certain, however: the 2007 edition of the Tigers volleyball team is going to be smaller and more than likely will not possess quite the offensive attack it has in recent years. “The passed years I’ve always had lots of big hitters so we mostly had to out-hit (opponents),” he said. “I think, with having fewer offensive threats, rather than relying on us to score points were going to be relying on other team to make mistakes.” Williams added without those offensive weapons, defense is going to have to be the biggest strength of this year’s team. “We’re not going to be as varied offensively but (our) defense is scrappy,” he said. “It kind of changes my approach as a coach. I’m an offensive guy, (so it) changes how we approach other teams. This is my fourth year running the defense we run. It’s kind of complicated. It’s a higher level defense. If we have that one player that can make it work it takes away a lot of what the other teams can do.” Williams said Ashley Plaza is going to be one of those key players, as the five-foot-three-inch senior is slated to be the Tigers’ libero. “She is the best passer on the team,” Williams said. “That first pass is really important and Ashley is really a good passer.” Plaza is one of four seniors back for the Tigers this year. Last years team MVP Stephanie O’Connor (5’10”) looks to pick up where she left off in 2006. As a junior, O’Connor was a first-team all-league selection, racking up 96 digs, 45 service aces, 192 assists and 56 kills. Chelsea Skeen and Britany Babcock (both 5’8”) round out the seniors looking to improve on last year’s third-place finish in the Greater Oregon League. Joining them on then floor will be returning starter Jordan Barnett (5’10”, junior) and newcomers Isabel Fiebert (5’4”, junior), Kendra Babcock (5’7”, sophomore), Erika Hopper (5’7”, sophomore) and freshman Katie Hendon (5’10”). Williams said the biggest drawback his team will face this year will be the inexperience factor, and he said he expects there to be some mistakes as the younger players learn the ropes. “One of the good things about volleyball players, they’re usually smart athletes, so that always helps when we’re in the learning phase because they pick up things quickly,” he said. With the tallest player on the team being 5’10”, Williams said height will also be a bit of a concern, but one the team can overcome. “As in most sports it’s not about size, it’s about quickness and usually the quickest team always win,” he said. “And we definitely got some quickness on our team.” Williams said the league is pretty much a coin toss this season. “That’s kind of hard to tell,” he said. “Baker finished third in state last year, but lost seven seniors. La Grande had a pretty good team last year, but lost a lot of seniors, but like us their best player was a junior. Mac-Hi is a team on the rise. They’re getting better every year, but I don’t expect that they will be up to the level of the other three of us yet.” And with just two playoff spots for the GOL teams this year, Williams said it makes it that much more critical for his team to play well. The Tigers begin play Friday at the Nyssa Jamboree and follow up with the Burns Tournament Sept. 8.