They’re facing adversity, and the Irish will handle that adversity. As Karrie Quenichet sees it, overcoming obstacles makes a team strong – and she has little doubt Cathedral High School girls volleyball will finish strong in 2024. It just may be tricky reaching full strength immediately. “This group is ready to put the work in,” she said. Quenichet, entering her third season as the Irish girls volleyball coach, said the team is working early in the season to overcome the unexpected absences of two projected team leaders. She said, too, that those absences won’t define the season for a program on the rise. The Irish started the ’24 season in strong fashion, winning three of four matches at the August 17 Crown Point Invitational. They beat North Central, New Prairie and Harrison and lost their opening match to Lake Central. “What's exciting is they’ve got something to prove,” Quenichet said. “They’re ready to work. They're ready to prove to people that they're still here, and they're still grinding every day.” The Irish, long one of Indiana’s strongest girls high school volleyball programs, in two seasons under Quenichet have reestablished the program as one of the state’s best. Quenichet said that objective remains whatever the preseason circumstances. “They're ready to get something done,” she said. The Irish finished last season 29-5 and qualified for the Indiana High School Athletic Association regional tournament. They finished the season No. 2 in the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association Class 4A rankings. “We’re being very intentional,” she said. “We did a good job two years ago trying to turn the culture into a family, to have that family feel. We worked a lot last year on getting some of that swagger back and building that confidence. “We have a T-Shirt made, and I stole this from somewhere, but it’s, ‘G to the fourth.’ We put God first, then we're setting goals. We're going to grind and we’re going to grow. I think we're going to have to stumble a little bit to get those moments of growth. “It is going to be that process all season.” And while Quenichet the Irish may not match 2023’s fast start, she is confident the end result will be positive. “It’s going to be a season of growth,” she said, “but I think the end of the season is going to be great. That's part of it. You don't want to peak too early. People are asking questions because they know a couple of the players aren't going to be there. “I love hearing their responses because they're like, ‘We're still good.’ That's exciting.” The 2024 Irish figure to be led by a core group of seniors including steady outside Mackenzie Land and versatile Ryleigh Plunkitt. Both played in the postseason as juniors. “We’re having a lot of fun with her versatility, and she has a heavy arm,” Quenichet said of Plunkitt. “Those two are going to be fun.” Also key could be senior middle/outside Ava Granson and senior transfer setter Alexa Green, with Quenichet saying the Irish could run a 6-2 scheme to add blockers and have two setters. “If we run a 6-2, then we add a hitter,” she said. “Facing the opponents that we're going to have, with the strength on our schedule, we're going to need some good blocking up front. “If we get where I think it's going to be, then we'll be as dynamic as we were in the past as far as being able to use multiple hitters. Then hopefully we’ll be in system enough that we will have three to four hitting options. We're also trying to shift to a defensive mindset, putting a little bit more emphasis on blocking. We want be the best blocking team in Indiana this year.” Key juniors for the Irish in 2024: Libero Annabelle Hoban, middle Avery Lewis and setter Mia Stubbs. The Irish also will feature four sophomores: outside Caroline Hanchar, outside Hayden Mandsager, middle Chloe Moss and middle Sophia Farah. Dual-roster juniors include defensive specialist Gabi Gerdts and defensive specialist London Murray. The Irish will compete in Class 3A in 2024, with Quenichet saying the team has retained its traditionally difficult Class 4A-based schedule. “We left it that way on purpose,” she said. “That was intentional because 4A offenses that you see are very dynamic. I wanted to be facing those dynamic offenses all season.” Quenichet call the 2024 Irish “a blast to work with,” and said the team’s work-oriented approach should make a season that began with adversity a memorable one. “They have something they want to prove,” she said. “That's exciting. That's what we're focusing on. Some players and some teams crumble under stuff that happens, and that's not the vibe I'm getting from this group. We've had two years where we've built culture and mindset, and I think they're just taking that torch and going with it. “The coaching staff keep saying, ‘We just love their grit, determination, their willingness to put the work in.’ They're not coming into the gym feeling like they've already made it. They feel like they haven't had their chance yet, and so this is their chance.” “It's a work in progress. I think it will build all season, and I think we'll peak at the right time.”