On the walls of the gym, the phrase “Devine Pride” hangs boldly above the crowd gathered to watch the varsity Arabian volleyball team. The ladies played the Poteet Aggies in a pre-district, best-three-out-of-five match last night, Tues. Aug. 26. Their 3-0 victory proved that the words on the wall are much more than a decoration, but the result of the hard work they put in on and off the court.

“We have asked a lot of players to step into a new role this year,” senior Alyssa Schmidt said. “The win tonight was good for us because it allowed us to get more comfortable with each other and our positions.”

The team has a lot to overcome this season, including working together as a new team and adjusting to the district realignments. With tougher competition and fresh faces, the Arabians know that they’re playing on another level than before.

“If we want to do well in our new district we really need to play as a team and communicate much more,” junior Kailee Ramirez said. “We know what we need to work on to get into playoffs with this district and we are willing to do what it takes.”

Knowing what will help them succeed is what has gotten the Arabians this far, and helped them pull out a win last night.

“I am glad that we came together as a team and encouraged each other the whole three games,” Ramirez said.  “I’m also proud of how we are doing so far but there’s always room for improvement.”

Room for improvement and potential go hand in hand, and the ladies have plenty for both.

“I’m very excited to see where this season is headed,” Schmidt said. “I truly think we have a lot of potential.”