Volleyball continues to work to get on track....
By Brodee Gillam
Sports Editor
The LCC volleyball team (1-2 MCCAA West, 1-6 overall) continued its trend of inconsistent play, losing 20-25, 25-23, 25-11, 25-18 at home against Muskegon CC Sept. 6.
The team has showed moments of great chemistry and promise, but it hasn't been able to put everything together yet.
In the first set, both teams traded points evenly until the Stars went on a 7-3 run to put them up 18-11. LCC went on another run to go up 24-14.
The visiting Jayhawks closed the gap by scoring six straight points to get back in the game before senior Delaney Thompson scored the game-winning point for LCC.
In a competitive second game, LCC was down 18-12 then rallied to tie the game at 23-23 before losing.
The Stars lost their momentum in the third game and couldn't get it back during the fourth and final game.
LCC Head Coach Emily Quintero said moving forward the Stars' goals are going to come mostly with experience.
"I think this is a growing season for us," Quintero said. "We're really working on our team camaraderie and we're growing."
Thompson has the same thoughts moving forward.
"Our goal is to finish," Thompson said. "We're taking it game by game, point by point. Our goal is win the second game right after the first."
Quintero said she sees three freshman – McKenzie Kench, Samantha Stanton and Casey Bridgeman – ready to breakout this season. She said Kench has some strong qualities.
"She's come out and she's shown her power with her serve," Quintero said. "She's shown the power that she can have when she's hitting. It's just us being able to tame it, but she has a lot of power she is willing to give us and it's just a matter of her being consistent."
Thompson also is confident in how the team looks in practice and how it will progress going forward.
"We're seeing a lot of potential," Thompson said. "We're going up; we have a long way to go. But, I feel we will be very good by the end of it."
The Stars were scheduled to play Thursday, Sept. 8 against division-rival Kellogg CC in Battle Creek, and in the Shannon Lee McBride Memorial Classic, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 9 and 10.