Orlando Valkyries set to defend title as new season begins

IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL VOLLEYBALL RETURNS TO ORLANDO THIS WEEK, AND THE VALKYRIES ARE LOOKING TO REPEAT AS CHAMPIONS. WESH TWO SPORTS ANCHOR KRISTEN LAGO SPENT SOME TIME WITH THE CHAMPS THIS MORNING, AS THEY BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY TO RUN IT BACK FOR IT ALL. IT’S A MOMENT THE ORLANDO VALKYRIES WILL NEVER FORGET. ORLANDO WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP. BUT FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND THERE’S NO CELEBRATING HERE. NO BANNERS, NO FRILLS, JUST WORK. I’M REALLY LUCKY THAT OUR TEAM IS FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR. THEY’RE NOT LIVING IN THE PAST AND SO I’M EXCITED TO SEE HOW WE CAN COMPETE AGAIN THIS YEAR, BECAUSE SOMETHING EVEN HARDER THAN WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP IS REPEATING IT. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THE RETURNING ORLANDO HAS TOP OF MIND. I THINK THE TOUGH THING ABOUT BEING THE CURRENT REIGNING CHAMPS IS YOU’RE GOING TO GET EVERYBODY’S BEST EFFORT. I THINK THERE’S DEFINITELY A TARGET ON OUR BACK, BUT YOU KNOW, WE’RE COMING FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TOO, AND THEY’RE COMING WITH SOME OF THE BEST PLAYERS. THE VALKYRIES RELOADING THROUGH FREE AGENCY, NOT ONLY WITH PLAYERS FROM THE U.S. BUT INTERNATIONALLY. I’M FROM SERBIA AND WE ARE DOUBLE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, SO I’M SOMEONE WHO IS USED TO WINNING. WHEN I ASKED THE VALKYRIES ABOUT THEIR MINDSET FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON, THEY DIDN’T HESITATE. LOCK IN AND BUY IN. IT’S THE TYPE OF CHAMPIONSHIP MINDSET THAT’S BUILT RALLY BY RALLY BECAUSE WITH LAST YEAR’S TROPHY ALREADY HERE IN FRONT OF THEM, NOW THE FOCUS IS ON BRINGING IT HOME AGAIN. YOU CAN HAVE FUN AND BE DISTRACTED FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT ONCE THAT WHISTLE BLOWS FOR EVERY POINT, LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE LOCKED IN AND BUYING IN IS REALLY BUYING INTO WHAT WE’RE GROWING AS A TEAM AND THE CULTURE. WE WILL NEVER TAKE A GAME OFF, NEVER TAKE A POINT OFF. WE’RE GOING TO BE ALL GAS, NO BRAKES. COACH PAULI, THOUGH, RAISED IT ONE NOTCH FURTHER, LOCK IN, BUY IN. ALL IN. THEY WANTED TO JUST ADD THAT EMPHASIS OF WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE ON OUR ROSTER THIS YEAR. YOU HAVE TO BE ALL IN ALL THE TIME IN THE VALKYRIES TO BE ON THE VALKYRIES, CHASING ANOTHER TITLE AND BUILDING A LEGACY, RAISING THE BAR FOR WOMEN IN SPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. KRISTEN LAGO WESH TWO. SPORTS. AND THE VALKYRIES OPEN THEIR SEASON AT HOME ON FRIDAY AGAINST THE GRAND RAPIDS RISE. THE MATCH G