Effingham County High School starts its volleyball season on the road with a 4 p.m. match at Class A/AA state power Savannah Country Day Tuesday. The Lady Hornets are ranked seventh in the state coaches poll.

In the second match, the Lady Rebels play area 2-AAAA foe Glynn Academy, and they conclude the day with a match against intra-county rival South Effingham.

South Effingham swept Windsor Forest last Tuesday, 25-21, 25-11 and 25-18.

The Lady Rebels are under the direction of a new coach this year, Mike Baczynski. Baczynski was an assistant under Mary Jane Heyman the past two years.

“I’m excited about it and am looking for a good year,” he said. “We have a good group of seniors as well as a lot of returners from last year to help us out. We have good experience, and I am looking forward to working with them this year.”

The Lady Rebels went 20-8 last season but missed out on the state playoffs.

Though it will take a team effort to make the playoffs, Baczynski is relying heavily upon good play from nine of his girls, including sophomores Kemmer Mingis, Hayley Hall and Heather Smith, juniors Sarah Quarterman and Harleigh Martin and seniors Alyssa McBryde, Victoria Webb, Becca Rawski and Macy Bragg.

Rawski and Bragg are expected to split time at the all-important setter position.