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Friday, November 13, 2009
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Late-blooming Raiders are off to nationals in Rochester National college volleyball tourney preview Sports Editor In previous trips to the NJCAA Division III national tournament, Central Lakes College Raiders coach Jane Peterson had an idea early in the season that her team had the potential to qualify.
Not this year.
The Raiders, who play in the national tournament Friday and Saturday, had a 15-9 record after losing the Region 13B playoff match against Hibbing.
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Central Lakes College Raiders Kaitlyn Roerick (17), Elora Meisner (7) and Erica Feldewerd blocked against Hibbing in a regular-season match Sept. 30. CLC plays in the national tournament this weekend. Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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CLC then went to the MCAC state tournament and finished fifth. As second highest finishing Northern Division team behind Hibbing, the Raiders earned a rematch against the Cardinals for the region title and a trip to nationals.
The Raiders, who split with Hibbing during the regular season, proceeded to sweep the Cardinals 3-0 at Hibbing to capture the national tournament berth.
"This team has taken a whole season to figure it out," Peterson said. "Until the last game I wasn't sure they ever would. The way we played against Hibbing we were a confident, championship kind of team. It wasn't perfect, but it was a total team effort. We were upbeat, had good energy, we were confident for a whole match.
College volleyball
What: NJCAA Division III national tournament
When: Friday, Saturday
Where: UCR Regional Sports Center, Rochester
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"This team has been inconsistent, within matches it has been inconsistent. We've been behind and come back, we've been ahead and ended up losing. It's happened more than once or twice. That's just the way we've played."
Peterson said a "special kind of energy" has enabled this team to reach the nationals.
"That's what allowed them to get to this place despite losing, being inconsistent, being yelled at, being frustrated with themselves and with each other, and having the coaches frustrated because of the simplest things," Peterson said. "All that they fought through because they're all together. It's not just one person that has to do it, they all have to do it together. It's rare to have 12 girls on the same page."
The fifth-seeded Raiders' first chapter at state will be against No. 4-seeded Niagara (25-4) of New York. Even though CLC is just 18-10 it's seeded ahead of three other teams.
"Teams from our region traditionally have been stronger than teams from (Niagara's) region," Peterson said. "That's what I've been trying to convince my team of, that we can win the first game and we can be one of the top four teams. That's our goal. The whole focus is on the first game."
The No. 1 seed is Brookhaven College, Texas (26-10) followed by Ridgewater College of Willmar (34-4) and Madison Area Technical College, Wis. (27-6).
"I think it's less clear this year who the best team is," Peterson said. "I think they probably had a hard time seeding 1, 2 and 3.
"Madison beat (top-ranked) Rock Valley, which is a huge upset. Madison had lost to Rock Valley more than once in the regular season. Ridgewater beat Rochester, and they've done that more than once during the season.
"Madison must be good because I thought Rock Valley was the best Division III team I've ever seen. I saw Rock Valley in September. They're just complete, powerful, they're just good at everything."
Tournament notes
This will be the Raiders' eighth trip to nationals in the last 10 years, the ninth trip in all under Peterson's direction. CLC won national championships in 2007, 2001 and 2000.
Division III tournament
Friday's schedule
Quarterfinals
No. 1 seed Brookhaven College, Texas (26-10) vs. No. 8 Davidson County Community College, N.C. (19-6)
No. 2 Ridgewater of Willmar (34-4) vs. No. 7 Butler County Community College, Penn. (10-8)
No. 3 Madison Area Technical College, Wis. (27-6) vs. No. 6 Nassau Community College, N.Y. (25-4)
No. 4 Niagara County Community College, N.Y. (25-4) vs. No. 5 Central Lakes College (18-10)
Consolation matches, 2 p.m.
Championship semifinals, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday's matches
Seventh place, 10 a.m.
Fifth place, 10 a.m.
Third place, 1 p.m.
Championship, 2:30 p.m.
Central Lakes roster
Kayla Atkinson, Rachel Pfeffer, Erica Feldewerd, Megan Rakow, Katie Amundson, Elora Meisner, Jenna Terhaar, Tika (Klauck) Nichols, Kirstie Grill, Christine Malm, Krystle Hamilton, Kaitlyn Roerick
MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.
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