ASHLAND – Many of the tools at the Southern Oregon University volleyball team's disposal are not a secret. They've been put to work before, their effectiveness backed by stat sheets, and eighth-year head coach Josh Rohlfing can take comfort in that.

There is the do-everything, all-star outside hitter, the budding setter named Northwest Region Freshman of the Year in 2013, the duo of middle-blockers made of the two most efficient attackers in the league a season ago, and a core of six seniors facing their last chance to win their first Cascade Collegiate Conference title.

Rohlfing is comfortable with those tools. They place the Raiders at an enviable starting point. He's just been around the CCC long enough to know what it will take to craft a title contender that can withstand a force like College of Idaho, which has broken down plenty of other worthy operations while finishing on top in eight consecutive seasons.

SOU has shared the CCC title three times during that span (and was just a game back at the conclusion of two other seasons), but the Coyotes have kept it for themselves the last three years and represent only the most extreme example of what will be in SOU's way. The 2013 Raiders finished fourth, going 13-5 in the conference and 17-10 overall, and were picked third in this year's preseason poll.

"I think we're a different team, I just don't know in what regard yet," Rohlfing said. "I believe we're a more mature unit in terms of experience and IQ, but I don't know how that's going to translate to winning matches. We have a lot of pieces, and we just have to figure out where they're all going at this point."

Getting those pieces ready, as opposed to making them fit, was the greater challenge in 2013. It led to some expected peaks and valleys: The Raiders started with four straight losses to nationally-ranked teams, lost their first-ever match to Northwest Christian on the opening weekend of conference action, became the first team to win a conference match on College of Idaho's floor in 74 matches, won 24 of 25 sets during an eight-match winning streak, and were swept by the Coyotes in a season-ending conference semifinal setback.

All told, they were a top-four team in their conference for the 26th straight season. And now they'd like to take the next step.

"I don't think we ever really came to an identity last year and that was part of the reason we didn't win a couple key matches," Rohlfing said. "This team has to have that desire to make it happen now. There's definitely some urgency to it."

SETTERS: When Lauren McGowne (Coos Bay, Ore./Marshfield) arrived last fall, she was arguably SOU's best athlete already, but not quite prepared to direct the Raiders' pace-driven attack. Rohlfing gave her the keys, and the starting job, before the 10th match of the season and saw her flourish. She recorded 50-plus assists on five occasions and eight-plus digs six times, finishing as the league-leader in assists per set (11.3) for the team that was No. 1 in hitting average (.248). Naturally, her coach expects more out of her sophomore campaign.

"She's heads and tails above where she was," Rohlfing said. "She got freshman of the year just based on athleticism, in my opinion, and the fact that she can make plays no one else can. This year she comes in with the ability to understand what we're trying to do a lot better, and a much better idea of how to handle her teammates and the court."

Rohlfing has also raved about the early play of Tyana Andrews (Rochester, Wash./Centralia), who moved to setter during the spring and figures to contribute all over the floor after hitting .276 with the fourth-most aces on the team (16) last season.

HITTERS: Senior Paulla Pinheiro (Fortaleza, Brazil/Colegio Farias Brito) established herself as one of the CCC's most explosive players and SOU's best all-around performer in her first year as a Raider. She was the only player in the conference to appear in the top-10 in kills per set (3.2), attacking average (.267) and service aces per set (0.55), and at one point had five straight matches with 10-plus digs.

"She had a great junior campaign for us and has really improved consistently throughout the entire preseason," Rohlfing said. "As good as she is hitting the ball, she's probably even more important to us with her ballhandling and ability to play defense."

Pinheiro will be joined on the outside by senior Motade Atanda (San Jose, Calif./Presentation), who appeared in 21 sets last year and will play a prominent role now with the loss of two of SOU's top-four in kills. 

"Motade had a phenomenal spring and I think she's ready to get into a rhythm of being a full-time player," Rohlfing said. "She's such a dynamic hitter that I think she could have a very special season."

Beyond those two is a surplus of depth. Laura Morse (Edmonds, Wash./King's), a junior who redshirted at 2013, appears ready to contribute as a right-side hitter, while senior Shelby Morse and junior transfer Corynn Kopra (Gresham, Ore./Sam Barlow) are also in the mix. Six-foot senior Sam Boehnke (Ashland, Ore./Ashland), who hit at a stellar clip of .269 and led the team in blocks as a part-time starter at middle, has moved her swing to the outside as well.

MIDDLES: Senior Nikki Keller (Carson City, Nev./Carson) started every match for the Raiders in 2013 and easily cleared all her competitors with a .413 hitting average in conference matches. The Raiders anticipated that kind of season from her, but received a mid-season boost from Emma Gasman (Clovis, Calif./Buchanan), who came on as a freshman to hit .375, the second-best mark in the league, leading to 2.5 kills per set.

They'll start as probably the most formidable combo of middles in the league, and 6-foot sophomore Abbie Hanser (Billings, Mont./Billings Central Catholic), who filled in admirably last year when called on, will play a larger role this year as a complementary piece to them.

LIBERO/DEFENSIVE SPECIALIST: Senior Brookelynn Cole (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic), who has appeared in every match the last three seasons, will get her chance to shine as SOU's starting libero with the graduation of Renee Yomtob (Boise, Idaho/Centennial), the 2013 CCC Libero of the Year. She averaged 2.1 digs per set in 2013.

"I'm excited to see what she does now, not being in anyone's shadow," Rohlfing said. "I think she's ready to step up and set the world on fire from that position."

FIRST UP: The Raiders will return to the scene of last year's rough start, the Biola/Red Lion-Anaheim Summer Slam, for matches Thursday against Cal State-San Marcos and Westmont, and Friday against Vanguard and Concordia (Calif.). All four won more than 20 matches last season, and all except San Marcos finished in the NAIA Top 25.

Live video streams and statistics are available for all matches at the SOU schedule page.