There’s no “we” in “team.” But don’t expect the Falcon volleyball team to say “I” often.

“We need to be a team,” said head coach Mandy Jones.

Expectations are high for this year’s squad. After advancing to the district playoffs last season, the team expects at least the same success this year.

“If we get as far as we did last year, we have to dig deep,” Jones said.

The team came close last season, and they remember the excitement of playoff games. Juniors Linden Firethorne and Brittany Wood have higher expectations.

“I’d really like to go to state,” said Firethorne, the middle hitter.

Defense will be the team’s strong point.

“My defense, I’m not worried about that,” Jones said. “I’ve got a lot of scrappy players on defense.”

“If a ball gets through Linden, which I doubt it will, I know she’s got backup in the back row,” Jones added.

Offensively, Jones and the team want to become more aggressive and find a winning rhythm.

“We need to put the ball down,” said Wood, a libero and outside hitter.

Mental toughness and picking one another up are themes for the season. According to Jones, that’s what beat them in the district tourney last season. Team members say they have to recover quickly from any errors on court.

“I’ll admit when I mess up, I get pretty down,” Firethorne said.

Jones crafted a team saying to help them get out of any slumps: “The power of performance is in you.”

“They need to realize the power that they have,” Jones explained. “And perform it on the court and be aggressive.”

Yet in the midst of instilling and fanning a competitive fire in the team, Jones wants to keep the game fun.

“The girls get so serious and forget when they have fun, they win,” Jones said.

South Whidbey will compete with a younger squad this year. Jones lost six seniors to graduation who she largely credited for the team’s success.

“I lost six seniors, so we’re young,” Jones said. “I’m hoping the seniors step up.”

Now she looks to the experience of her four seniors and the depth of six juniors. The team’s depth will be on display in its first game Thursday, Sept. 9. Starting setter Alissa Coupe, a senior, will miss the season opener and Emily Houck, a junior, replaces her.

“It’s going to be a little bit of a rough transition at first,” said Firethorne of the new team dynamic.

Three freshmen join the varsity squad as well, highlighted by Mackenzie Hezel. According to Jones, Hezel can be a “power player” once she becomes more comfortable with the team and system.

“The older girls do a great job making freshmen feel like they belong,” Jones said.

With 24 girls, Jones chose to have two teams and cut a C-team. Each team has 12 players, presenting a problem with rotating players in.

But so far in preseason, Jones said the players know and buy into her plan to keep the best six in to win as a team.

To prepare for the season, Jones held a camp this summer and worked on conditioning and specific skills such as hitting, blocking, setting, passing and serving.

Even after the team figures itself out, conference rivals will obstruct the path to state. Archbishop Murphy and King’s both finished the 2009 conference schedule 13-1 and figure to repeat as the top two teams.

The Falcons finished third at 8-6 in conference, and want to repeat, if not improve.

“The girls need to want it as bad as the coach,” Jones said.

Coupeville defeated South Whidbey last year, and the girls said they looked forward to the rivalry game again.