Senior-driven Bucks Living the 'Dream'
By
Wes Morgan
Special for MHSAA.com
October 4, 2016
Buchanan may never have another class of volleyball players like the one winding down its final high school season for the Class B third-ranked Bucks this fall.
In her 13th year coaching the team, Lisa Holok isn’t taking it for granted.
“They’re insanely special, said Holok, whose program has produced a number of college players over the years. “We’ve had our eye on this group since the eighth grade just because they are so special.”
Headlining the senior group is outside hitter Franki Strefling, who is headed to Eastern Michigan University next year on a full-ride scholarship. But she’s only one of seven seniors to have raised Buchanan’s profile over the last few seasons.
The squad set single-season records for wins in 2014 (46) and 2015 (48). The Bucks have lost only 23 games over the last four years.
Buchanan did experience a disappointing Regional Semifinal loss in 2015 (swept in three) and a 3-1 loss in the Regional championship match in 2014 — both at the hands of Battle Creek Harper Creek.
But the Bucks, and this senior group in particular, think now is their time. They’re 33-3 and well seasoned after competing (and winning) some of the most talent-packed tournaments on the west side of the state and in northern Indiana.
“They all really love the game,” Holok said. “The communication between them is almost seamless. We always knew we could make a run. We expected it and we work for it. This summer when we had our workouts, it was a different feel. I think it was more of a sense of urgency for them just because it’s the final season.
“Although they are super serious about volleyball, they are also fun loving and goofy. They’re like family; they’re like sisters. They fight like sisters. They make up like sisters. Behind the scenes, the talk of where they want to end up has been very real for them this year.”
Most of the Bucks’ regular-season matches in the Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph League in recent years have been tests of discipline. Winning by large margins, Buchanan had to manufacture competitions within competitions to remain engaged — not allowing another point after building a big lead, not committing service errors, not playing down to a lesser opponent’s level.
That hasn’t been an issue this year, however. Nor has needing extra motivation.
“Leaving regionals last year with another loss to the same team for the second year in a row, we knew we had work to do,” defensive specialist Taylor Reed said. “We set our goals high for our last time around. One major goal we set out for our team was to beat our rival, Harper Creek, which we've already accomplished in an earlier tournament in the season. Winning state, of course, is our overall goal.”
It has been a long road to finally be in the position to possibly achieve that goal.
“Over the past four years, the seven of us have been through everything together,” Liz Kuntz said. “And when I say everything, I mean everything from heartbreaks and hard conditioning days, to devastating injuries. I'm so thankful to not only call them my teammates, but some of my closest friends.”
The personalities are as different as their roles on the court.
Strefling is the one who “keeps it real” and is willing to say the things out loud that might be difficult for her teammates to hear. But Kuntz said Strefling’s “impeccable” understanding of the game makes the advice easy to take.
Alex Tobler is a fierce competitor but is emotionally uplifting when her teammates need it. Setter Britta Mollberg rarely loses her cool as the offense’s quarterback.
Reed takes pride in bruises, and Taylor Strauss keeps everyone focused on daily and long-term goals. Andrea Blair doesn’t let anyone off the hook in practice, constantly pushing her teammates to be better. But she’s the first to provide levity when necessary.
“This team is what we like to call ‘The Dream Team,’" Reed said, “not because of our winning record, but more because of the chemistry we have. We know all of each other's strengths and weaknesses because most of us have been playing together from elementary YMCA ball to club and now high school ball. Five of the seven seniors we have now all started on varsity as freshmen.
“We know exactly whom we are playing next to, and it all just flows together. It's definitely an advantage to have this bond that not many teams can say they have.”
Super Seniors
(Statistics prior to Saturday)
• Taylor Strauss (libero) — 345 digs, 98 percent serving and 4.7 digs per game. All-region player in 2015 and all-league in 2013, 2014, 2015.
• Franki Strefling (outside hitter) — 351 kills, 214 digs, all-region in 2013, 2014 and 2015, all-conference 2013, 2014 and 2015 and all-state in 2014 and 2015; broke school single-season kill record last year, four-year team captain.
• Taylor Reed (defensive specialist) — 185 digs, all-conference in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
• Britta Mollberg (setter) — 239 digs, 845 assists, broke school single-season and career assist records, all-conference in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
• Liz Kuntz (middle blocker)— 200 kills, 48 blocks, all-conference in 2015.
• Andrea Bair (middle blocker) — 19 blocks.
• Alex Tobler (outside hitter) — 225 digs, 365 kills, 39 aces, team captain.
Wes Morgan has reported for the Kalamazoo Gazette, ESPN and ESPNChicago.com, 247Sports and Blue & Gold Illustrated over the last 12 years and is the publisher of JoeInsider.com. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Buchanan's Britta Mollberg (8) and Andrea Bair (6) wall off a kill attempt earlier this season. (Middle) Libero Taylor Strauss dives for a dig. (Photos courtesy of the South Bend Tribune/Michael Caterina.)
Atlanta Embracing Pressure of Undefeated Season with League Title On Line
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
October 23, 2025
Losing a volleyball match was something of a welcome possibility a few weeks back for fifth-year Atlanta coach Amy Mullerd.
Now, Mullerd has no place for that thought – and her players are right there with her.
“I kind of was hoping maybe if we took a loss, it would be okay,” Mullerd admitted of much earlier-season thoughts. “Now, you know, if we take a loss, it’s trouble one way or the other, but … I think that they are enjoying the pressure of being undefeated.”
The last time the Huskies lost a set was in last year’s Division 4 Quarterfinal match against Hancock. Atlanta got there by breezing to a District championship and 3-0 wins over Harbor Springs Harbor Light Christian and St. Ignace to claim a Regional title.
Today, the Huskies are 28-0 on the season and undefeated in North Star League play. They’re playing league rival Hillman this evening with a third-straight league title and undefeated season on the line. Hillman is also undefeated in conference play, and likely will play Atlanta again this weekend in the league’s annual tournament, which does not impact the NSL championship race.
Hillman is also likely to be a District opponent in November as the Huskies also host Onaway, Posen, and Rogers City.
Atlanta is not looking past Hillman or the District. But while the Huskies are committed to one game at a time, they do have their sights on an even deeper postseason run this year.
Winning out is on their mind, pressure or not, as the school community is getting behind their possible historic run.
“I like to make sure they focus on one game at a time, because you have to be able to adapt to whatever team you play,” said Mullerd, who previously coached volleyball for 20 years before breaking and then returning to the sidelines at Atlanta. “We're just doing it one game at a time, but they have set their goals and they've seemed to reach most all of them so far. So we'll see.”
The Huskies are facing tonight’s match as just another moment of feeling pressure to remain undefeated.
“There's pressure, but it's not really Hillman that we have pressure against,” pointed out Olivia McSwain, a senior setter, who has topped 3,000 career assists this season to set the school record. “It's the fact that we are undefeated.”
Alliyah Hagemeister, a senior who breaks her own school kills record with every successful swing, downplayed the pressure to win tonight.
“I don't think there's any pressure, but it's just a big day as that's our conference,” she said. “It's make-or-break for a conference win, so it's just a really exciting day.”
Kacie Moldenhauer, one of four sophomores on Atlanta’s nine-player roster, is excited to see how much the team’s hard work will pay off tonight and the rest of the season.
“It’s a big game for us as a team, as in there's a lot of pressure for being undefeated,” she said. “And we have been working very hard to get to this point, and like past years building up to this point, and we also go against our rivals. We're just really excited for this game and ready to give it a roll for the pressure that we have.”
Another of the Huskies’ sophomores, Jyl Larson, has never experienced a loss to Hillman and she’s not ready to do so.
“I think that we just need to be ready for whatever, and just play our best,” acknowledged Larson, who leads the team in digs.
The Huskies also have two freshmen in their lineup, and no juniors. They regularly play three seniors after losing only one major contributor from last season to graduation.
Atlanta players all believe they are the favorites to once again capture the District crown.
“Making it through Districts and Regionals (last season) was definitely a surprise to a bunch of people around us because I don't think they thought we could do it,” Hagemeister said. “To get to where we were last year was a huge accomplishment, and I think this year, we'll definitely go further.”
Mullerd inherited an Atlanta team five years ago that found competing at a varsity level nearly impossible. They were playing mostly junior varsity squads and seldom picking up victories.
That’s not been the case since she took over, although she gives credit to the players for buying into doing the work.
The Huskies won 18 matches in Mullerd’s first season. These days, all kinds of trophies are accumulating because of the team’s strong work ethic.
“All credit goes to the girls buying in that, you know, things just aren't easy. I just gave them the tools,” Mullerd said. “And if you want to have a winning game, you’ve got to put in the work. You have to come to practice, and you have to put the work in. Anything worthwhile is not easy.”
And she loves the team’s winning mindset.
“They bought in and it's just an amazing turn, being a team that won nothing to a team that now never expects to lose,” she said. “We're feeling pretty strong – we feel really good about our chances, but you never know any given night what could happen. So we're ready for anything.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Atlanta players celebrate during a match this season. (Middle) Alliyah Hagemeister elevates for a kill attempt. (Below) The Huskies enjoy a moment with their mascot. (Photos by Jenna McSwain.)