Unlike past seasons, the Enumclaw High volleyball squad seems to be coming out of the gate a bit faster. In preseason action, the Hornets beat Yelm 3-0, traveled to Purdy to topple Peninsula 3-0 and finished eighth in the 32-team exhibition at Yakima’s Sundome Tournament Saturday.

In the season’s lid lifter against Yelm Sept. 8, Enumclaw’s 5-foot-5, junior, setter Gina Sanders seemed omnipresent as she recorded 25 assists in the three matches which Enumclaw won 25-15, 25-12 and 25-14. Also aiding the cause were Enumclaw’s tandem of 6-foot juniors Richelle Carel and Katina Ferguson who contributed a half a dozen kills apiece.

Sanders outdid herself with 27 assists Thursday against Peninsula, and standout sophomore, hitter HayleeMae Dennis tacked on 10 kills to down the Seahawks 25-15, 25-22, 25-22, pushing Enumclaw’s record to 2-0 on the young season.

At the Sundome Invite, Enumclaw dropped its first test against a talented Southridge contingent, and then did not lose another game the rest of the way.

“The Sundome tourney served its purpose as I saw marked improvement in the girls and they showed a lot of heart in beating West Valley in the finals of our bracket 2-1, winning the last match 15-4,” said coach Jackie Carel, who is approaching a quarter of a century as Enumclaw’s volleyball mentor.

The Hornet squad will play Capital High of Olympia at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in Chuck Smith gymnasium.

“This game will be good for us because it will help me gauge how we are doing,” Carel said. “Capital provides excellent competition, because it is one of the best teams out of the Western Cascade League. The game against Capital should better prepare us for our league opener against Bonney Lake (Tuesday) since the Panthers are going to be one of the teams to beat in the South Puget Sound League 3A this season.”