Lakers open 2010 volleyball season at NMU Invitational

Lake Superior State and its toughest opponents tend to meet on a regular basis, and the Lakers will see plenty of great competition in 2010-11.

Last season, six of the 12 teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference earned NCAA Tournament berths, and five of those teams represented the GLIAC North Division. LSSU coach Mark Engle, whose team was 3-24 overall and the “odd-man out” in the North Division in 2009, has a roster full of players who know exactly where they stand heading into the 2010 season.

“The whole schedule is tough, and the last one-third is really tough,” said Engle, whose team opens the 2010 season Friday at the Northern Michigan University Invitational. “If we are still in the hunt by the Crossover Tournament (in mid October), then we should be able to make the GLIAC playoffs. Because we have no seniors, we are kind of looking at a two-year roster, and we have some sophomores and juniors who have already improved a great deal.”

Middle hitters Sara Hess and Samantha Gibbs, and outside hitter Jessica Ewer graduated, and they accounted for 47 percent of the Lakers’ kills during the 2009 season. LSSU returns starters Abby Shereda (junior outside hitter), Nikki Stratelak (sophomore outside hitter), Janelle Balkwill (junior setter), and Brittany Newberry (junior libero), along with seven players who appeared in at least 13 matches in 2009.

“We have four pretty good setters, so there is some competition among the setters to see who can best run our attack,” Engle said. “My dilemma is that a couple of our setters are also pretty good hitters, so running a 6-2 is not out of the question.”

In 2009, Balkwill played in 90 of 94 sets and averaged 7.17 assists per set. Junior Brandiss Ward served as the Lakers’ back-up setter last season and contributed 4.42 assists per set. Freshmen setters Kristin Kopicki (6-0) and Katie Fitzpatrick (5-6) are both capable hitters.

Newberry averaged 5.69 digs per set to rank seventh nationally and is the Lakers’ top returnee in service reception percentage. LSSU’s back row also includes junior Anna Neal, sophomore Jessica Murawski, Fitzpatrick and redshirt freshman Rochelle Donakowski.

“Our back row is now our defensive strength,” Engle said. “Attacking, we have Shereda, (Lauren) Stenzel and Stratelak, who all received a fair amount of playing time and have all improved tremendously. Abby has a lot more confidence. In the middle, we lost our No. 1 (Hess), but have a combination of people. Jeanna Radzinski and Lindsey McLeod played quite a bit last year.”

Shereda was third and Stratelak fourth on the team in kills last season, and Shereda, Balkwill and Radzinski are the Lakers’ top-returning blockers. Freshmen Emily Snyder, Chloe Balanda and Billie McLeod will also help out in the middle.

Ward and Shereda have become the Lakers’ vocal leaders. Shereda is a three-year starter.

“They aren’t afraid to take leadership roles,” Engle said. “This group has the resolve to get where they need to be. They want to be the group that puts us in the playoffs, and they have the commitment to do it.”

The Lakers play Winona State at 11:30 a.m. and American International at 4:30 p.m. Friday at NMU. On Saturday, they take on Minnesota-Crookston at 8:30 a.m. at Wisonsin-Parkside at 5 p.m.