With seven seniors graduated from a state volleyball tournament team, it makes sense that the Bulldogs entered preseason camp with some question marks in its lineup.

One of those came at setter, a position that senior Sedina Hayes — who was a middle hitter last year — will see time at this fall for the first time since spot duty during her sophomore year on the North Platte reserve team.

The move was made with the graduation of Peyton Neff, who had 806 assists and averaged 9.6 per set last season.

“I asked her mid-camp, ‘Sedina, I need you to do something for me,’” North Platte coach Clancy Hammond said. “She has stepped in and really ran with it.”

Hayes is expected to be paired at setter along with Brooklyn Ayres and will also see time at outside hitter. She welcomes the opportunity at a new position

“It was a really last-second thing but (Hammond) has been asking me to try being a setter for a few years now,” Hayes said. “I’ve alwas been like, ‘No,’ but once she asked me (this year) I think I was just ready to throw myself in there. I am really excited to step into that spot.”

Hammond said it is an example of the attitude her players have shown throughout the offseason and also the leadership on the roster. The Bulldogs return four players with extensive varsity experience and will have role players and underclassmen stepping into key positions.

The Bulldogs, who open their schedule at the Bellevue West tournament on Friday, are coming off a 21-12 season and their first state tournament appearance in five years. North Platte fell to eventual state champion Elkhorn South in straight sets in a Class A opening-round matchup.

The Bulldogs have six seniors on the roster with Hayes, middle and outside hitter Kenzie Polk and junior outside hitter Carly Purdy having the most returning varsity experience.

“Any time you can end your season at (the Pinnacle Bank Arena) you’ve had a good season,” Hammond said. “We graduated seven seniors that were all very important to us but we have four players coming back with a lot of experience from last year.

“I think over the summer they have really shown what great leaders they are,” Hammond said. “They have done a really good job to kind of bring in our new people and get them on same page

Purdy led the Bulldogs with 334 kills and a .262 hitting percentage last season.

“We are younger and we have some players with no varsity experience,” said Polk, who had 374 attacks and 135 kills last season, “but the girls are working really hard in the gym every single day.

“I think we have to have good mentality going into every single day and we have to be willing to be put in the work all day every day,” Polk said. “That’s what we’ve been doing all summer. If we take that into the season, then hopefully we can get a return trip to state.”