Sunday, September 18, 2016

Harrison Volleyball Preview.

Written Sunday September 18th at 11:55 PM

The Orion Dragons Volleyball team will continue league play on Tuesday when they travel to Farmington Hills Harrison to take on the Hawks.

Harrison comes into this matchup at 0-1 in league play. They lost to Clarkston 25-12, 25-22, 25-13 at home. The Hawks did win the Wayne Memorial Tournament earlier this season but had some tough losses to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep in tournament play and a tough five set loss to North Farmington.

The Dragons will have to deal with Illinois State bound outside hitter Stefanie Jankiewicz. Jankiewicz is a considered to be a dark horse in the Miss Michigan Volleyball race this season. She is a two time Farmington Observer first team player as well. Jankiewicz is the team's top player and influences every play the Hawks does.

The Hawks returns liberio Elizabeth Lenard along with inside hitters Kristen Hankins and Julia Trautman besides Jankiewicz. Harrison does not have a ton of Varsity experience back this season. Coach Michael Love also has Mercy transfer Jenna Khoury along with six new players whom came up from their Junior Varsity from last season.

Harrison shared the White with West Bloomfield last season and made the district final before losing to Mercy but both the Hawks and Lakers moved up to the Red this season.

Consistency will be very important to the Hawks this season as mentioned in the Farmington Observer by Love but the question will be which team shows up.

Prediction:

The Dragons have played a far more brutal schedule than the Hawks especially in tournament play. Harrison did not look good against Clarkston whom is a State Power in their own right. Orion is a Volleyball State Power. Harrison has Jankiewicz, someone that the Dragons will have to keep an eye on and don’t let go off.

I said in the Volleyball Preview in the Inside the OAA blog that Harrison will have some struggles going up into the Red. When you are in the Red you have to play State powers whom are well coached such as Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Stoney Creek, Bloomfield Hills, and Seaholm. The Red is a whole different animal. I’m not sure if the Hawks are ready for this type of competition. Seeing how they did against North Farmington and Clarkston has me concerned in this matchup if you are the Hawks.

PICK: Orion in Three.

For more on Harrison Volleyball, check out the Farmington Observor article on the Hawks.

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