Archive: Sports

Lansing showed flashes of talent in its opening volleyball match on Tuesday 8/31 in Trumansburg. However, teamwork fell short as Trumansburg's offense imposed a Swiss cheese effect on the young Lansing squad.

The night had an auspicious start for the visiting team when Tburg was unable to return Tara Miller's first serve and Nicole Washburn, Miller, and Amber Howser dealt with the Raiders' spikes. Breanna Brann's serving extended Lansing's lead to 7-1, with scrappy play by Amber Ryan at the net and Brann assisting Hannah Armstrong to Lansing's first kill. Tburg retaliated with two aces and two kills, closing the gap at 10-10, despite blocks by Caroline Prybyl and Miller. The teams traded the lead to 18-18, with Prybyl adding an ace and a Howser spike prompting a Tburg error. Tburg then retaliated with 2 aces and 3 kills, while Lansing countered with only 1 kill by Ryan and fell 19-25.

Tburg maintained momentum into the second set, delivering 3 kills and an ace early. Lansing faced a reverse 6-point spread, 1-7, and got back in the game with an ace by Blair Wigsten, a Prybyl block, and 2 kills by Armstrong, assisted by Brann and Prybyl, bringing the score to 8-12. Though Wigsten managed 3 digs and Prybyl and Armstrong added 1 each, Lansing's lackluster offense and near-absent blocking gave Tburg the set, 12-25.

The must-win third set opened with several Tburg errors and a 5-1 Lansing lead. Lansing stretched the gap to 10-4, with a Kelsey Thomas kill, assisted by Brann, Prybyl-Wigsten teamwork at the net, and digs by Miller. Prybyl then pounded in a kill and 3 consecutive aces, 15-7, Sally Stoyell hustled in the back court, and Brann scored a smart tip off a Thomas set, 17-11. However, Tburg again turned on the heat and scored 14 points to Lansing's 4, finding undefended floor in mid-court and behind the front line. Despite fresh energy from Shanna Shaff and Vanesa Corey, and a block by Prybyl and Thomas, Lansing failed to muster an offense and was overpowered in the back court, finishing 21-25.

The first match highlighted the potential of Lansing's deep squad of skilled individuals, and the team's smiles and camaraderie through the night's challenges hold promise for a strong comeback as the team gains experience.

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