Archive: Sports

On its home court on 9/16, Lansing's varsity team appeared surprised when their first attack attempt was decisively blocked by Whitney Point - a markedly tougher opponent than in 2009. Although Caroline Prybyl had an early kill, a slim Lansing lead was generated in large part by Groton's attack errors and defended by Kelsey Thomas's and Tara Miller's digs. Eventually, Hannah Armstrong scored on tips, Thomas and Breanna Brann each added two aces, and the unimpressive first set ended with an Armstrong ace, 25-15.

Lansing got off to a stronger start in the second set when Sally Stoyell delivered the first of 3 aces, followed by an Armstrong kill and 2 by Prybyl. Blair Wigsten and Nicole Washburn hustled in the back row, aided by Megan Drake. However, offensive and defensive errors held the Bobcats' lead to low single digits, and the score was 10-10 when veteran spikers Miller and Amber Howser each placed kills in defensive gaps. Six service points by Prybyl and 5 by Stoyell helped Lansing gain 15 points to Whitney Point's 3, closing the set 25-13.

While 5 Lansing players each delivered multiple aces, a highlight of the night was unquestionably Brann's blistering serves. The first 3 points of the third set comprised only half of her night's tally of aces. In this final set, the Bobcats' were purring with talons ready. Howser, Wigsten, and Miller scored kills, assisted by Brann and Armstrong, and a pass by Karina Warkentin led to the game-winning point, 25-4.

Though Miller received only 4 sets during the match, she nailed 3 of them and added an unassisted kill, yielding an 80% attack percentage, followed by Howser (57%) and Prybyl (50%). Miller also had 8 digs, 3 aces; Brann 6 aces, 4 assists; Armstrong 4 aces, 4 kills, 8 assists; Prybyl 3 kills, 2 digs; Howser 4 kills, 1 dig; Stoyell 3 aces; Wigsten 2 kills, 1 dig; Thomas 2 aces, 3 digs; Washburn 1 dig; Vanesa Corey 1 dig.

At Groton on 9/21, Amber Ryan scored Lansing's first 2 earned points, a kill and an ace. Wigsten killed a Groton serve return, and a dig by Washburn fed Brann's set to a Miller kill, 15-9. Howser and Thomas had the next 2 kills, set by Armstrong, and Wigsten wrapped up the set with 6 service points, including an ace, 25-14.

Groton's attack pressured Lansing early and consistently in the 2nd set. Groton took a 5-point lead, which Lansing eroded through aces by Thomas and Miller, followed by a Wigsten kill. Then a Ryan block tipped the score back to Lansing's favor, 9-8. Five of Lansing's players contributed kills, 5 had digs, and Lansing's lead stretched to 25-17.

Lengthy volleys characterized the 3rd set, when Vanessa Corey, Wigsten, and Warkentin added service receptions and digs to Thomas's unflagging defense. Despite 2 initial Miller kills, Groton's attack again put Lansing down by 5 points, 3-8, before a Wigsten kill was followed by 2 more by Miller. The score was tied at 13-13 when Miller and then Armstrong aces created service runs, Ryan added 2 kills, and a Groton spike into the net ended the match 25-21.

Ryan was responsible for Lansing's sole block, 4 kills (57%), 1 ace, 1 dig; Miller 7 kills (54%), 6 aces, 11 digs; Thomas 16 digs, 2 aces, 2 kills; Wigsten 3 kills, 2 aces, 6 digs; Brann 4 assists, 1 kill, 2 digs, 1 ace; Armstrong 7 assists, 3 aces, 2 digs; Howser 2 kills, 2 assists; Corey, Warkentin, and Washburn, 1 dig each.

The next home match against Trumansburg is on Thursday September 30th.

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