Hurons show improvement and play intense volleyball
by Angie Asam, Staff Writer
The Rogers City Hurons varsity volleyball team continues to grow as the season rolls along with the post season just around the corner on Nov. 1-4. ?The team has to learn to play with intensity like we did a couple times this week. If they play as if the score does not matter and play every point as if it is their last they will win and go a long way. They have to have confidence in themselves and believe in themselves as I believe in them. They quit too soon. They have the potential and skill to go a long way this year if they choose that path. We are going to lose a lot of talent this year and the team needs to understand this is the year that is in their favor,? said coach Kristy Smolinski who is encouraging her team to go for it and leave it all on the court. Monday evening the Hurons were in Alpena for a tri-meet. Rogers City defeated Tawas 25-22 and 27-25 to take the match. The teams played the third game and the Hurons fell 22-25.
Rogers City then took on Alpena and won game one 25-17 before dropping the next two games 24-26 and 24-25. ?We passed very well against Tawas and really set up and executed some great plays. Taylor (Darling) had a great night passing and serving was on for everyone. Against Alpena we won the first game fairly easily but then let our guard down and lost focus. We stopped moving to the ball and instead of taking the ball they were looking for someone else to step in for the pass. We beat ourselves in the last two games and Alpena out served us. We could not pass or put a play away, we beat ourselves,? said coach Smolinski.
Junior Amanda Smolinski had 22 kills, 13 set assists, four aces and four blocks on the night. Sophomore Lindsey Claus had 12 kills and 12 blocks. Senior Becca Peacock added 10 kills, seven blocks and seven aces. Junior setter Linnea Brege had 21 set assists as well as two kills, four aces and 10 digs. Senior Shelby Schleben added seven kills, eight digs and 14 ace serves. Senior Taylor Darling had 10 digs and two aces on the night. Senior libero Emily Marx had 20 digs. SATURDAY THE Hurons hosted a nine-team invitational and finished third. Rogers City came out second in their pool as they split with Posen 21-12, 15-21, defeated Bellaire 21-15, 21-14, split with Onaway 16-21, 22-20 and defeated Alcona 21-13, 21-13. Up against Brimley in the first round of bracket play the Hurons dropped game one 15-25 before battling back to win 25-14 and 15-8.
?We started out a little cold but came back at them strong. We passed and served very well and executed plays nicely,? said coach Smolinski. Next up in the semifinals was Cheboygan. Rogers City took game one 25-21 before losing the second game 24-26 and game three 10-15. ?This was the best match we have played all season as far as intensity goes. They played as if every play was going to be their last. We always play well against Cheboygan; we bring out the best in each other. It was great competition and even though we lost the match it could have gone either way,? said coach Smolinski.
Marx and Smolinski were named to the all-tournament team as picked by all the coaches. Smolinski finished the day with 44 kills, 34 set assists, eight aces and 13 digs. Marx finished with 27 digs and six aces. Brege had 45 set assists, 13 ace serves and 13 digs. Peacock had 27 kills, eight blocks and six aces. Claus had 20 kills and 15 blocks on the day and Schleben had 18 kills, nine digs and seven aces. Darling added 16 digs and five aces while Rebecca Meredith had two kills, six digs and five aces. Shayla Atkins added one kill on the day.
?Saturday was a job well done and I hope we keep that passion and intensity through the rest of the season. For some of the players the number of games they will be playing is winding down and I cannot stress enough that they need to play like it may be the last time they step on a court. Every point counts and every point and play will make or break them. We ended up third in the tournament with two members on the all-tournament team and both of them deserved the honor. I am very p
LAST THURSDAY the Hurons traveled to Onaway for a match where the Hurons took game one 25-19, fell 16-25 in game two, won game three 25-22, lost game four 24-26 and won game five 15-11 to take the match. ?The girls came into this game really pumped up and had every intention of taking home a win and they succeeded. They played with intensity, consistency and passion. The team has grown leaps and bounds since the beginning of the season and this was an important win for us,? said coach Smolinski.
Brege had 23 set assists, four kills and three aces. Smolinski had 14 kills, ten set assists and four aces. Schleben had four kills and six aces. Claus had seven kills and four blocks. Peacock had 13 kills and four aces and Marx had 10 digs. THE HURONS are now 16-14-5 on the season and were in Cheboygan Wednesday (after press time) for a rematch with the Chiefs. The Hurons host a tri-meet Monday with Pellston and Gaylord in town. Next Wednesday is the Presque Isle County Championships in Posen and the conference tournament is Oct. 30 in Newberry. The Hurons will then face the winner of Onaway and Burt Lake Northern Michigan Christian Academy on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. in Onaway in the district semifinals. The winner of that game will play the winner of Gaylord St. Mary and Wolverine for the district title on Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. in Onaway. With the season coming to a close in the next couple of week?s, coach Smolinski will continue to stress intensity, not giving up and playing every point to the bitter end as the Hurons look for back-to-back district titles.