Over the summer the Goshen volleyball team set its goals for the season.

On that list were a handful of things including knocking off a couple of 2A powers and winning the area title. At the top of the list, sat the ultimate destination, the elite eight.

The Lady Eagles have made the Super Regional round of the Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs in each of the last five seasons, but have never reached the next stage.

On Friday, the Eagles will once again begin the journey to the top of the mountain in Montgomery.

“Before you can make it past Montgomery, you have to make it to Montgomery,” said Goshen head coach Amy Warrick. “This group of girls have put in a lot of time and effort to get to where we are, and we aren’t ready for this to be over with.”

On the court, the Eagles rolled to a perfect 16-0 regular season, 18-2 overall including tournaments.

Off the court, the team battled with the loss of mentor and former coach Dee Hughes. The Lady Eagles dedicated this season to their late coach.

“This is Dee’s season,” Warrick said. “We know that she would want us out here every day to get better. She always preached to get better every single day, and that is our Goal…to be better leaving the gym, than we were coming in.”

Goshen is still a very young team, in terms of age.

The Lady Eagles possess only one senior, Laken Griggs. Juniors Haley Hughes and Fran Warrick and sophomores Katie Thomas, Casey Allen and Carmen Kelly round out the starting rotation.

However, what the Eagles lack in age, they make up for in experience.

Each member of the team has been to the Super Regional round at least once in their career, most of the team has been multiple times.

“This team is hungry,” Warrick said. “They have been to the big stage, but want to go further. They know what it takes to win, and we are looking forward to the challenge of this weekend.

Goshen opens the Super Regional round of the AHSAA playoffs Friday against Flomaton at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl. The match is set to begin at 3 p.m. on court No. 1