Sports
Raiders hope to move winning streak to 21
Five of the nation’s top 10 ranked teams and three others will be competing for national glory Friday and Saturday.
The No. 2-ranked Central Lakes College Raiders are one of the teams who will battle for the NJCAA Division III national championship in Rochester.
CLC will be making its 10th trip to the national tournament. CLC has won the tournament three times – its last was in 2007. The other two national titles came in 2000 and 2001. The Raiders finished second in their first-ever trip in 1996. They’ve placed third four times and fourth once.
“I’m excited, but not in the same way the girls are,” said Raiders head coach Jane Peterson. “A couple of the girls went with me to the tournament last year and we watched some of the games and they saw what it’s all about. That was helpful. They watched and they could see that it’s not like those teams were that much better than we were last year. They have some realistic views of what’s going to happen.”
The first thing that will happen is the Raiders (27-2), winners of 18 straight, will open against No. 7-ranked and unbeaten Northampton Community College (33-0) of Bethlehem, Pa.
“I know who they want to set the ball to and I know who their setter is, but that’s all I will know and that’s OK,” said Peterson. “Our team is focused on what we do and if we play well, we’ll be fine. We have enough volleyball intelligence and experience to make little adjustments in a game. We’ve done it before.
“We have enough intelligence to not let the same thing hurt us over and over again. If we are engaged then it doesn’t matter who is on the other side of the net.”
Northampton beat Sandhills Community College 3-1 in the District H championship. In that match, Ashley McCauley, a sophomore setter, finished with 46 set assists and 16 digs. Freshman middle hitter Emily Koehler, who was named the Region XIX Player of the Year, added 13 kills and 16 digs.
“I’m pretty sure they don’t have the same experience we have,” said Peterson. “They have not played games at the pace we have played or played teams that play defense like we play. That’s why they’re seeded seventh because they come from a region that’s not as strong historically.
“33-0 is a little scary, but at the same time it’s not 33-0 against teams who we play against.”
Winner of the 11 a.m. Friday quarterfinal will play the winner of the No. 3 Ridgewater/No. 6 Montgomery College game in the semifinals at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Losers of the quarterfinal games will fall into the consolation bracket and play 2 p.m. Friday.
Peterson believes the Raiders’ regular-season schedule prepared CLC for the next three games. She also likes how her team has dominated opponents as well has had to come from behind to win matches. She is most confident in her team’s intangibles.
“(Monday) in practice we worked on covering our deep corners, being faster at our lower passes and having big and strong hands and pressing in on the block,” she said. “Things I don’t have to worry about with this team are communicating better, bringing high energy every game and having the right attitude. I don’t worry about those things.
“The things that are really exceptional about this team is the quality of leadership and the consistent, high, positive energy level that we have. Those are two things any coach of any sport would want their team to have. We are exceptional – not great – exceptional at all those things.
“Plus, we have depth that maybe I’ve never had before. If things aren’t going right, I can make a change. Everyone has game experience so I can plug anyone in and it won’t be total panic. We’ve done it before.”
JEREMY MILLSOP, sports writer, may be reached at 855-5856 or
jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com
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Covering the Brainerd lakes area sports scene for the past 23 years.