With just a couple of weeks to put together a team, Riverland volleyball head coach Sara Heim, has a squad.

RCC has only seven players, so it will be a lonely a bench, but Heim, who was recently hired as head coach, is optimistic.

“It’s a very strong seven girls, and luckily without recruiting we were able to fill every position, so we’re very balanced,” she said. “They’re very competitive and they don’t settle for anything. They’re also good with ball control and being scrappy, so they should be able to frustrate our opponents.

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The team will have three sophomores — outside hitter Cassie Massberg, of Waterville/Elysian/Morristown, setter Brittany Dahl, of Hayfield, and middle hitter Robin Arjes, of Austin.

“(The returnees) are going to try and set the standard,” Massberg said. “Everyone is going to have to step up their game for sure. It’s hard with only seven and everyone’s at different levels. We’ll make it work and we’ll figure it out.”

While its not a good thing to have just one bench player, Massberg said it should help the team focus on communication.

“Everyone’s going to have to talk no matter what and we’ll have to work together no matter what,” she said.

RCC’s four incoming freshman are middle hitter Rebekah Aase, an Austin grad, right hitter Haley Christensen of Muscatine High School in Iowa, outside hitter Laura Hemann of St. Ansgar, Iowa, and libero Brooke Coughlin of Triton.

Heim hopes her players gel together and get better as the season goes along.

“They’re working hard and they’re eager to learn and be competitive,” she said.

RCC opens its season at Dakota County Friday at 7 p.m. The Blue Devils will host Ridgewater College Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.