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PORT NECHES — The Port Neches-Groves volleyball team fielded the youngest team Brittany Fruge had coached last season.

This year’s team is still young but features four seniors with very important roles. The head coach said the girls have already made strides in the summer program.

“They understand that we are not really result driven in every single drill. We are process driven,” Fruge said. “With time, the results will come. They have bought into that. We have great leadership from our seniors. It is a very strong group and I feel very confident about how we will progress this year.”

Senior Sarah Groves said they are happy to be around teammates again.

“I have been waiting for this,” she said. “It is still early and we have a lot of work to go, but it is looking good so far.”

Fellow senior Mariela Dublon said the team is focused on getting the most out of this season.

“We are working as hard as we can to meet every goal we have,” she said. “Last year wasn’t our best year, so we expect every single one of our players to step it up this year. We have a lot of young players coming in, and we are trying to lead them as much as we can.”

Fruge said she is happy with the players’ summer effort.

“They have done a great job of being dedicated and trusting the process,” she said. “They have been very determined. They have a purpose when they get in the gym. Their focus to achieve that purpose has been there every day.”

Dublon said the seniors are fostering a sense of closeness on the team to help bring the younger players along.

“We have really good chemistry,” she said. “We are very close with each other. We want them to feel comfortable. They know what they need to work on and we know what we need to work on so we can all get better.”

Fruge said she is leaning heavily on the leadership of Dublon and Groves along with Trista Hughes and Morgan Coates.

“They are going to be intricate to continuing our tradition,” Fruge said. “There is going to be a gap once they graduate. We will have mostly sophomores on varsity. They know that they have to set the bar every day and show that expectation whether they feel good or not. They always have to show that leadership. It is a bit of pressure, but they are handling it well. They want to lead these younger ones.”