But the Starmount head coach believes he's going to have to pay a lot more attention to defense this season if the Rams are to hang on to their title as 2A West champions.
Graduation hit Starmount hard on the defensive side of the net, including defensive specialist Taylor Hutchens and libero Mary Katherine Taylor, who earned the chance to play at Wake Forest University this fall. Also gone is reigning conference tournament MVP Taylor Doss (who will play in the middle for Catawba) and a pair of net-hogging middle blocker-types in Katie Jerome and Erin Bledsoe.
"It's tough for me to put off more practice time to work on defense," Symons said. "But we have work to do on defense and things like serve receive. It just takes repetition."
Fortunately, the Rams have enough offensive firepower coming back to offset some of those defensive holes. And there are younger players who are showing a prowess on the defensive end that should help more and more as the season progresses.
All that should make the Rams a heavy favorite to repeat as Mountain Valley 2A Conference champs and a likely contender for another deep state playoff run.
Starmount players began official fall workouts Monday. This week, the Rams have been doing two-a-days in a hot high school gym with the air conditioning off -- just like Symons likes it.
"The defense has got to pick up," senior Jordan Raye said. "We learned we have to work harder in practice."
Raye is one of three returning seniors who started on last year's team that finished 31-4 and lost to Cardinal Gibbons in the 2A state title game. The left-hander will be the Rams' main setter and also could move into a hitting position on some rotations.
Symons put a lot on Raye's shoulders last season, including learning a college-level offense. Raye responded by orchestrating one of the most potent attacks in Starmount history, rivaling the two years that the Rams won 1A state championships earlier this decade.
Much the same will be expected of Raye this fall, maybe more so considering the youth on the team.
"She's got to make decisions and she's got to know what her options are, what tempo to run," Symons said. "That's tough to do but Jordan has tons of talent and her drive to win is unreal. That's what makes her Jordan. My expectation is that she is going to have a tremendous year."
Raye likely will make plenty of sets to senior comrades Jana Matthews and Meme Brown. Matthews is a potent outside hitter, while Brown can dominate the middle.
Defenses will have to pick their poison in trying to stop both.
"We can pretty much run what we want to run to Jana and Meme if we can get passes to target," Symons said. "Meme is coming along and doing a great job. Jana is absolutely crushing the ball right now ... It's hard to believe but she is hitting the ball harder than last year maybe times two. "
Then Symons laughed. "She is going to hurt somebody."
The Rams will look to players like Corey Hutchens, Ashley Wilkins, Taylor Moxley and Rachel Dobson to fill in some of the other spots.
Hutchens may play front and back rows. Wilkins and Moxley may emerge as liberos, defensive-minded players who can't attack and rotate in only on the back row. Dobson is a defensive specialist type and a strong server. Rosie Crissman may set some, freeing Raye up to hit.
Symons and Raye both raved about incoming freshmen Brinsley Stewart and Olivia Gough. Both could earn substantial playing time this season. Both are tall and athletic.
"Olivia is the real deal," Symons said. "She may start on JV but she has the chance to, by the end of her career here, be one of the better ones to come through here."
The Rams will get thrown right into the fire to start their season. After a scrimmage at Catawba on Aug. 15, Symons' team will visit 4A Mount Tabor on Wednesday, Aug. 20 and then will play a special rematch against Cardinal Gibbons on Friday, Aug. 22 in Greensboro. The following day, Aug. 23, the Rams will be part of the "Great Eight" tournament in Greensboro, a tournament that pits last year's 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A finalists.
After a game at West Davidson on Aug. 27 -- West played Starmount in the state quarterfinals a year ago -- the Rams will begin conference matches. The first meeting with rival Forbush is Sept. 4.
If Starmount can come out of the first few weeks of the season OK, then things could be set up well for another charge at the 2A West crown.
"I think it will be a fun season," Symons said. "If people know what we lost and aren't expecting us to do well, they may be surprised. I think we're probably going to go and have our bumps and bruises in the early part of the season but I think we're going to be pretty good."
Raye said she and teammates still talk about last year's 3-0 loss to Gibbons in the state final -- and about getting another shot at the Crusaders, who graduated both of their 6-foot-4 stars.
"We're looking to go to West Henderson again (for the 2A West championship game), and hopefully the state finals," she said. "We're really excited to see how far we're going to make it."
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