Fourth Ranked Dragons Volleyball completes phase one of Operation League Championship. Also my thoughts and projections on the season.

Written Friday September 14th, at 1:21 AM

Goals are usually set in stone and a league championship is in the mind of many. The opportunity for more is still there for the taking. For the Lake Orion Girls Volleyball team, phase one was compete.

After a State Championship appearance, a coaching change, and new players the result was the same Thursday night as the Dragons handed the Rochester Adams Highlanders (8-13-1) a three set loss, 25-13, 25-15, and 25-22 in Rochester.

This match was the first league opponent for new coach Ross Talbott.

Lake Orion is now 20-6 on the season with a 1-0 record in the Red and is ranked fourth in the state. The Dragons were led by deep talent pool of players, 17 deep???.  "I really like our depth. We're 17 deep. We play everybody and we don't have much of a drop off."

The Dragons were led by Gabby Kalugar’s 28 digs and Rachel Giwa’s 18 assists. Sophie Murdock (22 kills) and Hannah Murdock (six kills) also played well for the Dragons along with a few others in Ross Talbott’s league debut as varsity coach. "We don't have a dominant player but we have a lot of very good players in the back row that play solid defense and a lot of hitters that are getting the job done" added Talbott.

The Dragons next match will be a big test when they play a senior-laden Troy team next Thursday night in the home opener. The Colts handled the Farmington Falcons in three sets 25-23, 25-18, and 25-17.  This match could be a five game classic.

Troy features a senior laden team that last season went to the regional finals before falling to the Dragons at Lake Orion. The Colts are led by three very talented players along with others but they do have a first year coach also in Vince Muscat but the experience and leadership is making the transition process much easier at Troy.  

Now for the Colts top guns. The first is senior setter, Lindsey Moeller. Moeller is a very dangerous hitter and setter, if she’s on, then it could be trouble. She had six aces for the Colts against Farmington on Thursday night. The next player is Senior outside hitter, Nicole Hahn. Hahn had seven kills against Farmington in their blowout win over the Falcons. The next player is junior hitter Olivia Parks who is probably Troy’s best hitter on the outside. Parks had 16 kills in the blowout win over the Falcons last week.

If Lake Orion wants to win that match it must use it’s depth to its advantage along with the home court against the senior experience that Troy will feature and shut down or limit the three players above performances in the match. If they do that then they will win and move on to the next one. If they don't then the league championship could very well be in serious jeopardy.

My projection for this season’s 2012 lady Dragons is that the Red is very interesting and tight as always. I think there are four very good teams in the league, in Lake Orion, Clarkston, North Farmington, and Troy. Oxford and Rochester feature star players as well that can carry them. Seaholm lost Paige Neudenfelt to graduation but did hang tough against Clarkston in a four set loss at the Wolves Den. Farmington and Adams are programs that are young and on the rise.

If the Dragons want to get to the promise land they have to beat not only everyone on the schedule but also win tournaments. Lake Orion so far has won two tournaments (Macomb Dakota, and not sure what the other one was yet). The league schedule is absolutely brutal with matches against Troy, Rochester, North Farmington, those matches will be at home but the road slate could decide the Dragons fate. Lake Orion travels to Seaholm, Lahser, and Farmington in the middle of the season and have two big matches at Oxford and at Clarkston to close the league season.

The road in the playoffs is going to be difficult as well for the Dragons, starting with districts when they will go to Romeo and either will play Oxford, Romeo, Adams, or Clarkston. Hopefully the Dragons don't get the bad luck of the draw and not play in the play-in game. Lake Orion and Clarkston last season were split up in the district (Lake Orion went east while Clarkston went west) where they met in the state semifinals in Battle Creek now they are together and one will enjoy the spoils of moving on. That winner will likely will see Birmingham Marian, a team the Dragons took down at home last season in a four game classic and if they get that far then they would deal with Troy or Waterford Kettering then a clash with Macomb Dakota in the state quarterfinals and a potential clash with Farmington Hills Mercy in the semifinals and Rockford in the finals.

In my opinion this team can't be thinking about league championships, even though they do want one but the Lady Dragons should be thinking long term especially with them being a state power, being ranked fourth in the state. The Red is a tough league and it won't be an easy path however coach Ross Talbott has liked the way his team has been playing. "I like the way we have been playing overall. We graduated eight players but we have a lot of kids just waiting in the wings and our JV team is undefeated (26-0, 1-0 Red) right now.

If that is the case then it could be a special season in Lake Orion and for years to come.