Bend 12U girls club volleyball team hoping for strong showing in 2nd straight nationals trip

(Update: adding video, comments from players, coaches)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- For a lot of 12-year-old volleyball players, the goal is understanding the basics.

For the North Pacific Juniors Bend 12 National girls volleyball team, the goal is to be one of the best in Oregon, and maybe the country.

The team is heading to nationals, for the second year in a row.

Michelle O’Connell, head coach of the team, said her girls have worked hard for this opportunity.

“I think last year, just getting a taste of what it was like to go to nationals,” O’Connell said. “I think my three returners came in just hungry to do it again.”

The Bend team qualified for the Girls Junior National Championships in Chicago.

For returning middle blocker Liv Moses, it was hard to believe. 

“I'm in shock,” Moses said. “Not a lot of people get to do this, and I’m just really really stoked, and we're going to play our best and try to win.”

The 12U team has played in eight regional tournaments this year, winning them all and placing third at the Pacific Northwest Qualifier in Spokane. 

Kailyn Cooper, a returning outside hitter on the team, enjoys playing with this squad.

“It’s really fun,” Cooper said. “For me, it doesn’t really matter if we win or not -- it just matters if we give our best and put our all into the game.”

However, she admitted: It's fun to win.

“Yeah - winning is a lot of fun.”

Last year, the team finished top 50 at nationals. This season, they’re aiming for the top 25.

Setter and outside hitter Lucy O’Connell is ready to make a run.

“It's really exciting just to be able to go back with a whole new mindset, knowing you can go and do better than you did last year,” O’Connell said. 

While winning is the goal, assistant coach Kristin Cooper said enjoying the experience is the main focus.

“Really, to get these girls to enjoy something like this, this big, to not go in nervous,” O’Connell said. “This might be the only time some of these girls are going to get to go do this, so to make it memorable for them.”

Her daughter, Kailyn, has a similar mindset.

“I just hope that we can give our best,” Cooper said. “These teams are pretty big, but I just hope we can give our best and give them a challenge.”

The team heads to Chicago June 14th.

But the cost of a nationals trip is not cheap.

The team is raising money for its journey, and has a fundraiser at Lifty's, formerly known as Justy's, this Sunday from 4-8 p.m.

To donate, click here.