BUFORD — Buford volleyball opened the season showing what a young roster could accomplish when it played with confidence and consistency.

The past week showed how the Wolves respond when things become more difficult.

After building an 11-3 record, Buford dropped three consecutive matches against North Forsyth, Woodward Academy and Johns Creek before answering with a 2-1 victory over Parkview on Aug. 27 to improve to 12-6.

For coach Kortney Herren, both stretches are part of the development of a team still learning what it takes to compete at Buford.

“We’re a team that has had to learn a lot about ourselves early, and I think every match has given us something to build on,” Herren said. “We’ve seen growth in our volleyball IQ, our ability to make adjustments and our confidence in pressure situations.”

That growth was evident Aug. 15 when Buford went undefeated at the Buford Volleyball Playdate, winning four matches and eight of nine sets.

The Wolves swept McDonough 25-8, 25-10, defeated Westlake 25-20, 25-17 and topped East Forsyth 25-20, 25-22.

Morgan County provided the biggest test of the day.

Buford won the first set 25-14 before Morgan County answered with a 25-23 victory in the second, becoming the only opponent to take a set from the Wolves during the event.

Buford responded by winning the deciding set 15-12.

“What I liked most was how quickly we were able to reset,” Herren said. “We talked about controlling what we could control, and the girls came back with a lot of composure and energy. Instead of letting that set affect us, they responded with a lot of confidence and played more aggressively.”

The response reflected a message Herren has emphasized with her players throughout the season.

“We also discussed how nothing is ever going to be given to us,” she said. “We’re Buford. Everyone plays harder against us. So our mindset was to go earn the win rather than wait for the other team to error. Play to win, play to score, don’t play to not lose.”

Buford continued its strong stretch Aug. 20 with straight-set victories over Union Grove and Wesleyan.

The Wolves defeated Union Grove 25-20, 25-21 before edging Wesleyan 26-24 in the opening set and closing the match with a 25-17 victory.

Buford won all four sets during the doubleheader.

“I thought we were really consistent from start to finish,” Herren said. “We served tough, played good defense, and did a nice job of putting pressure on both teams offensively.”

Herren also credited improved communication, transition play, shot selection and a reduction in unforced errors.

“When we play with that kind of consistency, we give ourselves a really good chance to be successful,” she said.

Wolves encounter difficult stretch

The schedule became less forgiving the following week.

Buford traveled to Cumming on Aug. 24 and fell 2-0 to North Forsyth before losing 2-0 to Woodward Academy later that evening.

The Wolves returned home Aug. 27 but were swept 2-0 by Johns Creek, extending their losing streak to three matches.

Instead of allowing the skid to continue, Buford responded later that night against Parkview.

The Wolves defeated the Panthers 2-1, ending the three-match losing streak and improving to 12-6.

The stretch provided another opportunity for a young Buford team to apply one of Herren’s primary early-season lessons — the Wolves do not have to play perfectly, but they must continue competing for the next point.

“Our biggest improvement has probably been our consistency and our ability to play through adversity,” Herren said. “We’re doing a better job of staying disciplined and understanding that we don’t have to be perfect, we just have to earn the next point, and earning the point can and will look different each time.”

Young roster continues to develop

Herren said Buford entered the season with a roster that drew questions from outside the program because of its youth.

She expected the group to develop quickly.

“We’ve also shocked quite a few people, which I knew we would,” Herren said. “Many had doubts after seeing our young roster in May. But with that, many have come up and said how impressed they are with our development, connection and outcomes.”

Herren credits much of that progress to the competition taking place during practice.

“The girls are pushing each other every day, and that competition and accountability has helped us get better,” Herren said. “We also have a group that genuinely enjoys playing together. They trust one another, and they’ve bought into the idea that everyone has a role in our success.”

Buford’s seniors and captains have provided leadership while younger players have been asked to step into significant varsity roles.

Herren said the Wolves are learning that success will depend on contributions throughout the roster rather than one or two players carrying the team.

“We’ve talked about how it’s not going to take someone to get the job done, but rather it’s going to take everyone,” Herren said.

That has been particularly evident defensively.

Herren said some of Buford’s most valuable work does not necessarily appear in the statistics.

“We have players who are willing to do the unglamorous work: serve tough, play defense, cover their teammates and keep rallies alive,” she said. “That kind of effort doesn’t always show up in the box score, but it’s a huge part of why we’ve had success.”

Still searching for consistency

Despite the promising start, Herren knows Buford remains a work in progress.

She wants the Wolves to continue developing offensively, particularly with shot selection and becoming more intentional in their attack. Finishing sets and matches when opportunities arise also remains a priority.

“We have to outsmart big teams in order to win, so we’ve spent a lot of time on that,” Herren said.

Those areas become increasingly important as Buford moves deeper into its schedule.

The Wolves are scheduled to return to varsity action Thursday on the road against Central Gwinnett.

For Herren, the 12-6 record matters less at this stage than whether Buford continues becoming a more complete team.

“We’re nowhere near where we want to be yet, but I think the girls are improving every time we step on the court,” Herren said.

And through the victories, losses and growing pains of a young roster, one quality has stood out most.

“Ultimately, I’m most proud of how much this group wants to compete for each other,” Herren said.