The new gals . . .

Take two all-staters out of the picture, Lydia Sussner and Morgan Kockelman — a hitter and setter, and most folks figure that considerably weakens the chances of the Minneota Vikings to repeat as state champions.

“Some teams thought last year was our year,” said Coach Hayley Fruin. “But teams forget we had an outstanding B squad. They had a wonderful season last year. And I don’t think we’re one to settle for last year.

Our girls want to get back there and see what they can do,” the coach added. So she’s taken a cast of veterans and injected players like setters McKenna Yost and Ireland Stassen, plus middle hitter Abby Frie and sprinkles in Abby Rost.

The newcomers may be the stuff that brings this team together.

Frie, at about the same size as Natalee Rolbiecki, brings the ability to smash the ball at the net. “The setters have been good in serving to Abby Frie. And she’s seeing the ball well,” the coach said.

The two-setter system of Yost and Stassen gives the Minneota team a different look. And when she’s not setting, Stassen is a valuable hitter at the net as well.

“We are really trying to be scrappy on defense,” said Coach Fruin. “What we want is a balanced attack.” With the newcomers added into the already potent hitting crew of Abby and Morgan Hennan and Rolbiecki, Fruin believes this team will be more difficult to play than last year’s squad.

“It will be harder to scout us than last year because everybody can put the ball away (hit at the net),” said the coach. Having two setters actually allows Minneota to have “one more hitter” in the lineup.

“We have six hitters instead of five, according to league rules,” said the coach. That means the rotation will allow hitters in the game longer and will make it tough for defenses to adjust to two setters.

“In the long run, I like this rotation,” said the coach.

The advantage of having a mixture of veterans with younger players can be advantageous to any team. “I really look to Morgan and Abby Hennen and Rolbiecki to lead the young ones,” the coach said.

“They’ve got the experience,” she added.

“The kids are hungry this year and they want another shot at it,” she said. Saturday in Edina, the newcomers were nervous, said the coach, but they sure didn’t play that way.

Frie, for instance, was facing her old town, Medford, and was making her first varsity start. Her best friend is on the Medford team and there was, as coach Fruin said, “A lot of pressure on her.”

Yet, she stepped up and took the first set to her and knocked down the first point of the game — then the second. She ended with four kills and a block for a point.

Yost set the ball 15 times for points and Stassen set 20 points.

In addition, Stassen had nine digs, Yost seven and Stassen served nine of 11 with one ace and Yost nine of nine with one ace. “Everyone executed,” said Fruin.

Minneota went on to defeated Medford in three straight sets, 25-15; 25-15 and 25-18. After the first showing, the nerves and jitters should be gone. This is, indeed, a new team. But so far, the Vikings look like they’ve re-stocked the shelves.