Conference play has begun, and the Lady Frogs have continued their winning ways with a victory over their first conference opponent, the Lady Cowgirls of Wyoming.They will open up further conference play on the road, when they battle the Air Force Falcons and the Colorado State Rams Friday and Saturday.

Freshman defensive specialist Katelyn Blackwood said the Frogs keep the same kind of simple game plan against all of their opponents.

“Our game plan is always to go out and play like a team,” Blackwood said.

The team unity the Frogs have displayed throughout the season has been a big factor in the team’s continued success.

“We do not really have any drama that a lot of teams have to deal with, and everybody really likes each other, and no matter who is on the court, we mesh well,” Blackwood said. “As long as we keep that, I think we will do really well this season.”

The 12-2 Frogs still have some kinks to work out, Blackwood said.

“We have been missing a lot of serves, and it has really been a mental thing,” Blackwood said. “We have been working on fixing that in practice.”

Head coach Prentice Lewis said she urges her team to go out every night and compete, especially now since conference play has begun.

“Our conference is one of the toughest volleyball conferences, and every night, we have to come out and play,” Lewis said. “We have to bring our A-game.”

As far as any specific type of strategy for these upcoming opponents, senior outside hitter Calli Corley said it changes with each team.

“With Colorado State, they have really good attackers, so we really need to work on our blocking, and with Air Force, we need to work on being consistent and pushing from one to 30 (points),” Corley said. “They (Air Force) are a team that, if you let them play with you, they will.”

Lewis is excited about how hard her players work each day at practice.

“I like how hard our athletes have been playing,” Lewis said. “We just have to keep plugging along.”

Lewis attributes the team’s success to its ability to work together.

“It has been a complete team effort,” Lewis said. “There is no one individual that stands out over everybody else.”

Blackwood, Lewis and Corley all said they agree that a big part of this team’s success has been the result of chemistry on and off the court, and that future success will depend on this as well.