Manistique volleyball team poses for a photo on Aug. 14, 2025 at Manistique High School.

MANISTIQUE — The Manistique Emeralds volleyball team looks to continue to develop the program coming off a 15-12 season and winning the district championship before losing to Calumet in the regional opener in straight sets.

The Emeralds enter this season with a trio of seniors Kyra Carlson, Maya Carlson and Cambria Dougherty who will help provide leadership for the team.

The kids are very excited to get the season going,” Emeralds coach Amy Nixon said. “They have been working very hard this summer building connections with each other and improving their skills.

The Emeralds had a big loss as the team lost Ella Schuetter to graduation and the team will have to adapt and work hard to fill that void.

“We don’t have the height that we have had the past couple seasons,” Nixon said. “We are finding new creative ways to score and using our athleticism and power to find us ways to get kills vs how we did when we had Ela.”

This team has come together well over the summer bonding as a team and focussing on team chemistry.

“The chemistry is for sure here with this team,” Kyra Carlson said. “We all hang out together outside of practice and it has led to great communication and overall team bonding.”

The Emeralds feel that they could improve in the serve and receive area of their game but know they are a very strong defensive unit.

“We are not a tall team,” Kyra Carlson said. “We have an average height of 5’5 but we are scrappy and we have good hops even though we don’t have the height advantage.”

The Emeralds have eight juniors going into this season including, Aaliyah Sears, Ashlyn Jones, Kaylynn McDougle, Allie Renk, Shannon Sears, MaKenna Davis, Addie Irving and Isabella LaVingne. The Emeralds also bring up Kendyl Flodin a sophomore from the JV and younger sister of Kamry Flodin who set school records in volleyball last season as a senior.