Volleyball Previews 2017 Season
Leesburg, Fla. – The fall at Lake-Sumter State College means students filling the classrooms, a flurry of activity in the library and learning center and of course, the beginning of volleyball season.
Head Coach Amanda Phelps enters year number two at the helm of the LSSC volleyball program and is looking to build off a successful 2016 campaign. With six sophomores returning, the Lakehawks add nine freshman to the mix which makes a recipe for success. "All of our sophomores are leaders and with our three captains, I really feel we can bring the freshman along rather quickly on and off the court," said Phelps. Sierra Mooney, Renata Gomes Martins and Danielle Lodor represent the captains selected during preseason.
Mooney returns with the most playing experience amongst the team appearing in all 24 matches. The middle finished her rookie year third on the team with 115 kills. Gomes Martins is one of the top returning players for the Lakehawks this season. The setter was a two-time Setter of the Week selection in Region Eight last season. During her first year at the collegiate level, she finished second in the conference averaging 7.59 assists per set. Lodor, an academic standout in 2016, has the ability to lead her team on and off the court. She is set to have a big impact on her squad in 2017.
Emma Gray is an incoming freshman and is 1 of 3 local student-athletes. Gray is a 5'10" outside hitter from Fruitland Park who helped her high school team to a District Championship. Also new to the team is Nia Ervin. After transferring from Valencia CC in the spring of 2017, Ervin is ready to hit the court for her freshman season.
A new season brings new challenges and with the realignment of the Mid-Florida volleyball conference, competition is tougher than ever. Also new for this season is the inaugural Mid-Florida Conference Tournament which will consist of the top four teams in the conference. "Our out of conference schedule consists of teams that are receiving top 10 votes in our region and some nationally every single week," Phelps said. "That is just a testament of how strong our state is in the sport of volleyball."
The Lakehawks are definitely more versatile this season with depth being a key attribute to their success. "Our coaching staff has gone over several different lineups that we can put out there and know they will be successful," Phelps explained. "It's something that is a little different from last year, knowing we can basically plug and play and not miss a beat."
Coach Phelps on the season outlook, "I believe our conference is the toughest in the state, in which our state is one of the best in the country. I expect to upset some teams this season to shake things up a bit." Coach Phelps' final statement was the one she was most proud of. "If someone's going to beat us, they are going to have to work extremely hard and it's going to be a battle from start to finish."
LSSC will open the regular season Wednesday, August 23 at former MFC foe, Santa Fe in Gainesville, FL at 6 pm.