Highlight Reel: Class B Semifinals
November 21, 2014
The Lake Odessa Lakewood volleyball team defeated Battle Creek Harper Creek 3-1 in a Class B Semifinal on Thursday. North Branch followed with a 3-1 victory over Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Click the headings below for highlights:
LAKEWOOD WINS FIRST SET - Lake Odessa Lakewood captured the first set against Battle Creek Harper Creek on this big swing by Vanessa Reynhout.
TEACHING THEM A LESON - Harper Creek bounced back to win the second set against Lakewood. Here's one of two big points Olivia Leson connected on down the stretch.
CARLSON BLASTS ONE FOR ND PREP - Katherine Carlson comes through for Notre Dame Prep on this play in the first set against North Branch. However, it was the Broncos who advanced.
WILLSON MOWS THEM DOWN - This big hit by Laura Willson of North Branch was a key play in the fourth and final set against Pontiac Notre Dame.
Watch the matches in full and order DVDs by Clicking Here for Lakewood/Harper Creek and Clicking Here for North Branch/Notre Dame Prep.
Volleyball Mentors Achieve Milestones
September 26, 2012
Over the last three weeks, two of Michigan's most successful volleyball coaches ever moved further up the all-time list with milestone victories.
On Sept. 8, Clinton Township Chippewa Valley coach Bill Rice became the fifth volleyball coach in MHSAA history to win 1,000 matches when his team defeated Lutheran Westland at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Invitational. And Battle Creek St. Philip's Vicki Groat became the 12th coach to win 800 matches, earning her monumental win against Jackson Christian on Thursday.
Groat has coached the Tigers since 1998, when she took over for her mother Sheila Guerra. At St. Philip's current pace -- it is again considered the favorite to win the MHSAA Class D championship this fall and has claimed six straight -- she could match her mom's 862 career wins during the 2012 season. St. Philip is 35-1-1 this season.
Rice began at Chippewa Valley in 1980 and has led his team to four league and 11 Class A District championships, plus back-to-back 50-plus win seasons from 2002-04. His team is 10-13-2 this fall.