SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State women's volleyball team was ranked sixth in the Fall 2021 GLIAC North Division Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll as announced by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
The Lakers received 10 points in the poll to put them behind first place Michigan Tech (51), Northern Michigan (50), Northwood (34), Wayne State (28), and Saginaw Valley State (22).
The Lake Superior State women's volleyball team looks to bounce back following a disappointing 0-12 record in a tough conference-only schedule. Head coach Dave Schmidlin will return to the bench for his fifth season guiding the Lakers. The Lakers are returning the majority of last season's roster with both of last year's seniors, Kyra Vezina and Sarah Bailey, playing a fifth year.
The Lakers are scheduled to play 27 matches this fall, with a mix of non-conference tournament play and GLIAC competition. LSSU will open the fall 2021 season at the Michigan Tech Tournament on Sept. 3-4 and follow up the next weekend (Sept. 10-11) at the Wisconsin-Parkside Tournament. The Lakers will open GLIAC play on the road the weekend of Sept. 17-18 and welcome the top two teams in the North Division, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan, the following weekend at home (Sept. 24-25).
With seven seniors and seven juniors on the roster, Schmidlin will rely on their leadership and experience this season. Halle Grulke, a setter named All-GLIAC Honorable Mention last season, led the team in assists last season after playing in all 37 sets for the Lakers. Camdyn Odykirk also played in all 37 sets for the team last season and will be a key player for the Lakers as a middle hitter. Odykirk ranked third on the team last season in both kills and kills per set. Sarah Bailey, a fifth year outside hitter, ranked second on the team last season in kills and first among her teammates in kills per set.
Defensively, the Lakers will look to junior Sydney Briney and sophomore Emily Hagelthorn. Briney, who was the Lakers libero for the majority of the spring 2021 season, played in all 12 matches for the Lakers last season and led the team in digs, digs per set, and service aces. Hagelthorn, who played in every set for the Lakers as a freshman, ranked third on the team in digs last season.
The Lakers will have four new players on the roster this season, including three freshmen and one transfer. Maggie Morris is a middle blocker from Schoolcraft, Mich., Jordyn Haller is a defensive specialist from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., Ally Lasley is a libero from Birch Run, Mich., and Ally Gruber, who played two seasons at the North Dakota State College of Science, is an outside hitter from Belgrade, Minn.
For more information, visit lssulakers.com
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