TENDRING Volleyball Club’s women’s team should set their sights higher than just survival this season.

That’s the confident message from assistant coach John Embrey, following the Frinton-based side’s first-ever Super 8s match.

The team were promoted to the highest level of English volleyball last season and began with a 14-25, 17-25, 21-25 defeat at the hands of Team Northumbria.

However, losing was no disgrace as the North-East side won the league at a canter last season, without dropping a set, and also lifted the National Cup.

“When we first got promoted at the end of last season, staying up would have been our realistic target and number one goal,” said Embrey, who will work alongside new head coach Fernanda Guimaraes Dos Santos.

“But after what we’ve just seen, considering who we were playing and the fact we’ve only had one training session together, I think the top-four is achievable.

“All our players got on court and no-one let the team down.

“They all did the job we asked of them and the more they train and play together, the better they’re going to get.

“It’s a very different team now and there were only six players in the squad who were here last season.

“People have come and gone and we’ve also had to bring in better quality players, because of the higher level.”

Last Saturday’s straight-sets defeat took place at Tendring Technology College (TTC), in Frinton.