Archive: Sports

Lansing traveled to Dryden on 10/7 determined to rewrite the outcome of the big cats' earlier contest. Although Lansing started slowly all night, the first set illustrated a change in Lansing's game: 6 players contributed kills, 6 had digs, 5 pitched in with blocks.

They fought back from a 5-point deficit, 4-9, to pull even at 16-16. After allowing errors to set them back 19-23, they came back again. Blocks by Tara Miller and Carolyn Prybyl, an ace by Kelsey Thomas, and a kill by Amber Howser provided momentum that carried the Bobcats through to a 27-25 win. This persistence and team play would prove key to the night's victory.

The start of the second set belonged to Dryden. The Lions surprised Lansing with short kills -- not once, not twice, but 3 times in a row. Lansing compounded this with errors and trailed 2-7 before Miller gained 10 service points, 13-7, advanced by 2 aces and blocks by Prybyl and Hannah Armstrong. Success was short-lived, however, as Dryden's Brooke Thompson answered with 8 service points, 13-16. Lansing again tied the score at 16-16 and gained 5 points to Dryden's one, 21-17. After long rallies, Dryden inched closer, 22-20, and Lansing lost the set on a string of unforced errors, 22-25.

The 3rd set was framed by Blair Wigsten's service points - 9 near the beginning and 8 at the end, including 5 aces. Again, Dryden's Thompson retaliated, this time with only 6 service points, mitigated by Nicole Washburn's serve receptions and terminated by a Miller block. Lansing struggled with attack errors midway through the set but found its rhythm and closed out the set with 2 kills by Prybyl and 1 each by Breanna Brann, Wigsten, Miller, Armstrong, and Howser.

Dryden's attack produced a 5-point lead in the 4th set, 2-7, which Lansing erased, 7-7. The teams tied 4 more times, 13-13, before Dryden again surged on Lansing defensive and attack errors. Though the Bobcats entertained fans with flashes of scrappy play that showed quick reactions, they gave up 10 points, 17-23, before regaining their groove. With Dryden serving, Lansing couldn't close the gap, losing 18-25. The pendulum swung back to Dryden.

The 5th set started ominously when Lansing allowed a free ball to drop in-bounds, failed to retrieve a pass just outside the court, and miscommunication cost the team 3 points and 1 bloody nose. The team's mettle shone, nonetheless, and it overcame a 7-point deficit to tie 15-15. The Bobcats continued to work their offense, despite 3 attack errors and a double hit quickly undermining their hard-won gains. Following a well-placed set by Brann, which led to a Miller kill, 16-21, Thomas stepped up to the service line. With the Lansing fans on their feet, seniors Brann and Miller delivered 3 kills, Lansing pressured Dryden into 3 errors, and Thomas added an ace, 23-21. One more Dryden error and Thomas, unshaken by a Dryden timeout, ended the match with an ace, 25-21. Miller got hot in the last set, landing 6 kills and an attack point. We're not surprised to see that 3 teammates assisted: Washburn, Thomas, and Brann. In the words of Coach Brenda Powers, "They finally came together as a team and beat one of their bigger rivals. ... I knew the girls could pull it off. I'm very proud of them. This team has the potential to go all the way."

Lansing's defense and court coverage showed marked improvement over earlier matches; serve receptions of 80% or better were standard. Though consistency remains a challenge in sets and attacks, 5 players earned a positive balance of kills to attack errors: Miller, Howser, Brann, Prybyl, and Thomas.

Brann had 22 assists (33%), 4 digs, 1 block, 7 kills; Miller 10 kills, 14 service points, 2 aces , 2 blocks, 2 assists, 7 digs, and 25 serve receptions (93%); Washburn had 16 serve receptions, 5 digs, 2 assists; Howser 7 kills, 1 block, 5 digs, 1 assist, 9 service points; Wigsten 17 service points, 4 aces, 6 digs; Prybyl 5 kills, 2 blocks, 3 digs, 1 assist, 7 service points; Armstrong 12 assists (23%), 5 digs, 3 blocks, 6 service points.

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