|
|
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
|
|
'This is a scrappy team' New-look Raiders ready for season Sports Writer One reason Jane Peterson enters her 19th season at Central Lakes College is the newness each season brings.
Raiders volleyball at a glance
Head coach: Jane Peterson, 19th season
2008 finish: 9-3 conference, 17-20 overall
Sophomores: Tika Klauck (outside hitters), Christine Malm (defensive specialist), Krystle Hamilton (outside hitter)
Assistant coaches: Ken Miller, Heidi Hahn
Schedule
AUGUST
28-29: at Ridgewater tournament
SEPTEMBER
2: at Mesabi, 6:30 p.m.
5: at Vermilion, noon
9: at Hibbing, 6:30 p.m.
12: at Ridgewater tournament
16: at Northland, 6:30 p.m.
18: ITASCA, 6:30 p.m.
19: FOND DU LAC, noon
23: RAINY RIVER, 6:30 p.m.
30: HIBBING, 6:30 p.m.
OCTOBER
2: VERMILION, 6:30 p.m.
3: MESABI, noon
7: NORTHLAND, 6:30 p.m.
9: at Fond du Lac, 6:30 p.m.
10: at Itasca, Noon
13: at Rainy River, 6:30 p.m.
15: Hibbing, Ridgewater, Rochester in CLC Dig For The Cure tournament, 11 a.m.
24-25: MCAC state tournament at Thief River Falls
30-31: Region 13B championship at North Division Champion
NOVEMBER
13-14: Nationals Division III at Rochester
Roster
Sophomores: Tika Klauck (hitter, Brainerd), Christine Malm (defense, Park Rapids), Krystle Hamilton (hitter, Pine River-Backus)
Freshmen: Kayla Atkinson (hitter, Little Falls), Rachel Pfeffer (setter, Perham), Erica Feldewerd (hitter, Melrose), Megan Rakow (defense, Little Falls), Katie Amundson (hitter, Staples-Motley), Elora Meisner (hitter, Cloquet), Jenna Terhaar (hitter, Sartell), Kirstie Grill (hitter, Elk River), Kaitlyn Roerick (hitter, Upsala).
|
Coming off last year's 17-20 season, in which the Raiders began the year 0-5 and ended with a 3-1 loss to Northland in the Region 13B championship, a new beginning is what Peterson and the Raiders need.
"At the end of last year we all agreed that we never got to be the team that we could have," said Peterson. "Everyone on that team would agree. We didn't get to where we could have been. There were a lot of things that kept us from that. I don't know what it was, but it was very apparent that we should have been better.
"That was very frustrating and very motivating."
|
|
|
|
Kayla Atkinson went up high for an attack during the Central Lakes College volleyball scrimmage Thursday in Brainerd. Atkinson, from Little Falls, is one of nine freshmen on the roster. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
» Purchase reprints of this photo.
|
|
|
|
|
Most of CLC's success came in the North Division of the MCAC, where it finished with a 9-3 mark. CLC lost to Hibbing twice and Northland once.
Only three players return - outside hitter Tika Klauck, defensive specialist Christine Malm and outside hitter Krystle Hamilton.
"The three returners learned how important team unity and team energy and togetherness are," said Peterson. "We had some very skilled players, but we didn't have everything a team really needs. We lacked a true setter.
"It's not about who's the best player. It's about who's the best team. Even though people say that all the time the three returners got that in their head."
Klauck finished with 79 kills, 0.929 kills per game, 29 blocks and 53 digs. Malm finished with 94 digs and Hamilton added 135 digs and 13 ace serves.
"Tika just really wants to play," said Peterson. "She is a much smarter hitter than she was last year. She's trying to make some shots instead of just swinging wildly at the ball.
"Christine is the vocal, energy leader. She has put in a lot of time from the end of last season to now getting this team together and making sure everyone feels welcome. She has learned a lot about playing defense and what to look at.
"Krystle brings a lot of versatility. She's willing to do anything. She hasn't set in a game since eighth grade and she set in both of our scrimmages and didn't panic about it."
With the team lacking a true setter last season, Peterson recruited Perham graduate Rachel Pfeffer, whom Peterson believes could be a top setter in the division.
"Rachel is a true setter and she's pretty good," Peterson said. "She has a lot of game experience. There are things that we are working on, but she can play that position better than most of our opponents setters will play that position.
"She has a great temperament for a setter. She is not an up-tight person."
Figuring out who will be the go-to offensive spark will take time, but the Raiders have options. Erica Feldewerd of Melrose, Elora Meisner of Cloquet, Kirstie Grill of Elk River and Kaitlyn Roerick of Upsala are leading candidates.
What Peterson isn't worried about is energy and defensive hustle.
"This team has a really exceptional, exuberant energy and I don't use exceptional lightly," said Peterson. "There is something special about their energy. We haven't played a lot of games and it's possible for that to go away if a team is beating us and things don't go right. But up until now it's been very consistent.
"This is a scrappy team and we don't have it all under control, yet. We're flopping all over the place. Sometimes it's necessary, but we need to get under control. That's the energy that we have. We're just not going to stop. I haven't had a team this scrappy. They are willing to go all out for the ball."
Raiders roster
Sophomores: Tika Klauck (hitter, Brainerd), Christine Malm (defense, Park Rapids), Krystle Hamilton (hitter, Pine River-Backus)
Freshmen: Kayla Atkinson (hitter, Little Falls), Rachel Pfeffer (setter, Perham), Erica Feldewerd (hitter, Melrose), Megan Rakow (defense, Little Falls), Katie Amundson (hitter, Staples-Motley), Elora Meisner (hitter, Cloquet), Jenna Terhaar (hitter, Sartell), Kirstie Grill (hitter, Elk River), Kaitlyn Roerick (hitter, Upsala).
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5856.
To Subscribe to the Brainerd Dispatch, Click Here.
Note: Comments are not edited and don't represent the views of The Brainerd Dispatch. Please read our posting rules in the terms of service policy. To report a post that may be inappropriate, click the triangle alert icon.
|
|
|
|
|
 Top Commented Articles
Over the last 7 days
Most Recent Comments
|
|
|
|
Thinking about a New Job?
These employers want you!
|
Loading...
|
|
|
Today's Best Classifieds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
