Lady Generals hope to relive magical season

WEST LAFAYETTE – The Ridgewood High School volleyball squad lived the dream that every team in every sport hopes to achieve in 2013 and head coach Kayla (Crozier) Miller says the expectations have not been lowered.

“We have high expectations,” said Miller. “It’s a big challenge having the target on our back because of their accomplishments last season so they have to come out ready to play every game.”

The Lady Generals captured the Inter-Valley Conference championship, won sectional, district and regional titles to reach the Division III state final four last seasons before falling to Gates Mills Gilmour in the semifinals.

It was Miller’s first season as head coach and she knows an encore to a 27-2 record will be a tough task.

However, it’s not like the program was left bare.

Two seniors return to the starting lineup with setter Erika Michael and right-side hitter Cora Thompson. Also back are juniors Laura Crawford (middle hitter), Allie Dobson (middle hitter) and Morgan McDorman (libero).

Crawford earned All-Ohio second team honors last year as a sophomore and will transition from outside hitter to middle.

Miller herself was awarded Coaches Achievement honors by the Ohio High School Volleyball Coaches Association.

Other players in the rotation will include sophomores Autumn Brown at middle hitter, Elisa Haynes and Katie Leitz as defensive specialists and Audrie Tingle at right side hitter.

Freshmen who could see action are Cassie Mladek at outside hitter and Erinn Buchanan at right side hitter.

“The girls have a lot on their backs this year so we need to work even harder than last year and we need a few players to step up,” Miller said.

The only graduate from the team is Laura Frazee, who has moved on to Marietta College where she will participate on the women’s basketball team. She represented the school at the 2013 state All-Star match at Wooster High School.

Another key loss is starting outside hitter Amanda Lowery who opted not to play her senior year in order to focus on basketball.

Miller believes the Lady Generals will again contend for the Inter-Valley Conference but considers a very familiar foe to also have an impact on the outcome.

“Tuscarawas Central Catholic is always our top league game but we should have another good shot at it,” she said. “We have to come out ready to play every game.”

Category: High School