BUFFALO TWP — Volleyball practices are intense in the Freeport High School gym.

There are no easy points. There are no easy games.

And that's just the way Yellowjackets' volleyball coach Tom Phillips likes it.

“This is probably the deepest team I've had since I've been here,” said Phillips, who is entering his 14th season on the bench at Freeport. “We have a team that challenges each other in practice on the other side of the court.”

Freeport, which won the WPIAL Class AA championship and posted a 20-1 record last season, also ramped up the challenge of its schedule, adding Seton-La Salle, Fox Chapel, Hickory, North Allegheny and Conneaut to its docket.

The section gauntlet with Knoch, Obama Academy, Burrell, Valley and Highlands could also be difficult.

“This year is probably the toughest schedule we've ever had,” Phillips said. “There's no lightweights in any of them. They are all top-notch opponents.”

And despite losing four senior starters, all-state hitter Zoe Pawlak is back and is surrounded by a talented roster.

Expectation are very high for the Yellowjackets.

“We don't want to put the cart before the horse, but ultimately, our goals are pretty lofty,” Phillips said. “I told them right now we are paper champions. We're going to get everyone's best games. We have to be mental tough. If we can do that, we can be every bit as good this year as we were last year.”

Here is a look at all the Butler County area volleyball teams this season:

• Coach: Dan Mountain, second year• Last year: 8-8 overall, 6-6 in the section• At the net: Alyssa DiPippa (senior), Baylee Verner (senior), Paige Lambermont (junior)• Setting up: Rachel Rebmann (senior)• Digging it out: Lauren Skidmore (senior)• Outlook: Butler was already in a difficult section. Now it gets a little tougher with the inclusion of Mars. The Golden Tornado have knocked on the door to the postseason numerous times and hope to break through this season.“(We're) an inexperienced team with only three regulars returning,” Mountain said. “The new and returning players are working very hard and becoming a strong team that looks to compete for a playoff spot in a very competitive section.”

• Coach: Karen Martini, ninth year• Last year: 15-5• At the net: Sydney Martini (senior), Madeline Poirier (junior), Melissa Carter (junior)• Setting up: Madison Chapman (junior)• Digging it out: Bre Damiani (senior), Bella Seman (sophomore), Lauren Vokes (junior)• In the mix: Maddie Beck (junior), Kate Davis (junior), Maria Alfono (sophomore)• Outlook: There were some big losses to graduation, but Martini is confident in the talent she has.“The team chemistry is there this year. It's going to be a big building year for us, but I think we'll be able to do it.”

• Coach: Tami Caraway, second year• Last year: 10-6 overall, 8-4 in the section• At the net: Cassie Berteotti (senior), Hannah Both (senior), Julia Frye (sophomore), Cassie McKernan (sophomore), Maria Nicassio (senior)• Setting up: Julia Zimmer (sophomore)• Others in the mix: Angela Botti (senior), Alyssa Fenton (junior), Rachel McKernan (sophomore), Kayla Mitchell (junior), Hannah Ryan (junior), Alecia Zika (junior)• Outlook: Mars moves up to Class AAA this season and will plunge head-first into a section with perennial powers.Caraway said she and her team are eager to compete.“We ... will have to compete against North Allegheny, Seneca Valley, Pine-Richland, Butler, Hampton and North Hills,” Caraway said. “We look forward to the challenge of competing against these big schools. The players have been working hard all summer getting ready for the season.”

• Coach: Diane Geist, 29th year• Last year: 16-4• At the net: Kiley Hajek (senior), Katie Gannon (senior), Sarah Armahizer (freshman), Abbie Fissore (junior), Hannah Carlino (junior), Julie Zilka (junior)• Setting up: Katie Bozzo (senior), Lexie Graham (senior)• Digging it out: Carly Bozzo (freshman), Taylor Lesseski (junior), Alley Kerkan (sophomore)• Outlook: Knoch lost 10 seniors — including an all-state performer at the net in Celina Sanks — to graduation and will basically have a brand new team on the floor this season.“We're going to be a completely different kind of team this year,” Geist said. “We don't have 'The Terminator' this year (Sanks) or Mary Zellhart or Schaely Renfrew. We're going to be involved in longer rallies this year because we definitely don't have a big hitter this year. Still, we're hoping to challenge for a playoff spot.”

• Coach: Tom Phillips, 14th year• Last year: 20-1, WPIAL Class AA champions• At the net: Zoe Pawlak (junior), Macy Smolic (senior), Jessica Kelley (senior), Morgan Ruppersberger (junior), Nicole Lesko (junior)• Setting up: Grace Ward (senior), Kari Huth (senior), Maddie Christy (sophomore), Maggie Ward (sophomore)• Digging it out: Angela Hewitt (senior), Meredith Turdel (junior)• Outlook: Freeport lost a few key contributors from a team that won the WPIAL last season, but Phillips believes his team is poised to do big things in 2014.“We lost four starters ... but I like the additions,” Phillips said.

• Coach: Laura Franklin, second season• Last year: N/A• At the net: Brooklyn Walsh (senior), Kortney Schaum (junior), Mackenzie Kirk (senior), Kayla Broad (junior)• Setting up: Ellie Mularski (senior), Abbey Little (senior)• Digging it out: Katie McClymonds (junior)• Outlook: The Rockets may have lost dominant players such as Carly Shearer, Heather Urbaniak, Kaitlyn Spangler and Lindsey Lueken, but Franklin is hopeful she has the players on the back end to make up for the losses at the net.“We are a very scrappy team,” Franklin said. “We don't have a lot of height, but we have a very good, sound defense.”

• Coach: Dawn Haggart, fifth year• Last year: 12-3 overall, 10-1 in the region• At the net: Jordyn Wyllie (senior), Adrianna Adams (senior), Bailey Risch (junior)• Setting up: Macguire Gubba (freshman), Hannah Santom (sophomore), Carla Cintron (junior)• Digging it out: Belle Chiodo (senior)• Outlook: The Eagles had a very successful season in 2013, but will have to replace a slew of seniors who contributed significantly to that achievement.Senior hitter Wyllie will be the anchor for a team that still has big plans this season.“We are young, but I'm optimistic,” Haggart said. “We're striving to be one of the top teams in the region. We'd like to get back to the district playoffs.”

• Coach: Pam Preston, first year• Last year: N/A• At the net: LeeAnn Gibson (senior), Cheyenne Troutman (senior), Clara Stoughton (senior), Brody Whited (junior), Mackenzie Craig (sophomore)• Setting up: Shanel Preston (senior), Paige Mennor (senior), Alyssa Gibson (sophomore)• Digging it out: Jordan Downs (senior), Mattea Conto (senior), Alyssa Slagle (junior), Brooke Moore (sophomore)• Outlook: The roster is dotted with standout athletes who have excelled in other sports.First-year coach Pam Preston is hoping that athleticism can be harnessed with solid, fundamental volleyball.“This is going to be a transition year,” Preston said. “We have great athletes and I see us winning some games this year.”

• Coach: Jamie Martino, second year• Last year: 2-10• At the net: Stephanie McCall (senior), Megan Sosigian (senior), Brittney Lindsay (junior)• Setting up: Alycia Brehm (senior)• Digging it out: Taylor Romito (senior), Brittany Heller (senior)• Outlook: The Warriors struggled to just two wins last season, but Martino thinks that should change significantly this season.“I think we are definitely going to improve that record this season,” Martino said. “We have a lot of experience at the varsity level.”

• Coach: Doug Knox, ninth year• Last year: 12-6• At the net: Danielle Kaufman (senior), Katie Stumpner (senior), Halee Wetzel (junior), Sadie Longo (senior), Morgan Cratty (junior), Josey Terwilliger (freshman)• Setting up: Melanie Lewis (senior), Alyssa Babcock (junior), Kiersten Rothen (junior)• Outlook: The Falcons are loaded with talent and Knox couldn't be happier.“We've been working really hard over the summer,” Knox said. “We went to team camps and held our own against double-A and triple-A schools. I have a great, positive outlook. If we play like we can, we'll be one of the teams in the mix.”

• Coach: Julie Cloak, first year• Last year: 11-9• At the net: Eiley McGregor (senior), Michaela Lencer (senior), Abbey Jones (senior), Kali Flick (junior), Taylor Adams (sophomore), Frankee Remmick (freshman)• Setting up: Emily Rankin (junior), Hannah Atzeni (freshman)• Digging it out: Lexey Shick (sophomore)• Outlook: Cloak takes over for Dani Emmings, who spent one year as the head volleyball coach. Emmings, though, is still on the staff as Cloak's assistant.The Damsels lost nine seniors to graduation.“Many of our players this year have had little varsity experience,” Cloak said. “With that said, these girls are working hard to compete in our section and make it to playoffs. We have been working on new defenses, a different offense, and refining the little things like blocking and serve receive. The girls have passion for the game and are excited to begin our 2014 season.”

<i>Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic coach Arica Smith could not be reached for this preview.</i>