RAPID CITY - Sitting down with the Rapid City Stevens volleyball team one thing immediately becomes clear - they are united as a team. Not only is unity the word they repeat over and over again, but it is also apparent in the Raiders play on the court.

The Raiders are in the unique situation where they have so many hitters that contribute, opposing teams often don't know where an attack is coming from. Unlike other teams that will often use one or two hitters the entire game, the Raiders employ a team effort on the attack.

"It's definitely an advantage because it takes the pressure off one particular player," said senior outside hitter Kelly Herrmann. "We don't rely on one or two hitters. We're in the situation where if one or two players have an off game the other hitters pick up the slack."

For the Raiders, it isn't uncommon to have five or six hitters with eight, nine or 10 kills in a game, and they all seem to be comfortable sharing the spotlight.

"When we sub in and out it helps because if one player needs a break or needs to clear her head then another player can come in and we know she'll do the job," said senior outside hitter Sarah Jundt. "Every rotation we have is strong and we're happy to all contribute however we can."

If one were to attend a Raider volleyball game and pick up a program they would immediately notice their height. All six hitters stand at least 5-feet-10 and three are over 6-feet. This gives the Raiders a decisive advantage over most teams.

"We have more height than most teams and it gives us a lot of confidence," said freshman outside hitter Margaret McCloud. "Every time you go up, you know you have a better chance of getting that ball then the other side."

"It helps because we hit over their blocks, and it is easier for us to block them. I think it adds an intimidation factor, so it becomes a mental game," Kelly Herrmann said.

Beyond height and hitting the Raiders point to the intangible aspects of their game as a reason they expect to be a contender for a repeat state championship.

"Our biggest strength as a team is that we are all really bonded," said senior Becca Spangler. "And we've kept that going throughout the season. We have a lot of unity on this team. We all like each other and like to hang out together."

"I think we ride off our momentum a lot," said senior Nikki Gleich. "Once we get on a roll it is hard to stop us. We play off each other's excitement. We all come together as a team to get a win."

The Raiders (21-6 overall) open district play against the winner of Douglas and Spearfish on Thursday at Carold Heier Gymnasium.

"We have to take it one step at a time and not get too far ahead of ourselves," said junior middle hitter Justine Blade. "We need to play as a team and come together. We definitely want to play for our four seniors, and give them a great year to end on."