LAPEL — The Lapel volleyball team has enjoyed great success the last two seasons, winning a total of 40 games over that span. While the graduation of another large senior class leaves a few questions to be answered, there is plenty of talent on this year’s team to believe that the Bulldogs will continue their winning ways.
In fact, the Bulldogs don’t just believe they can win, they expect to win.
“I certainly expect them to do well,” coach Hilary Eppert said. “We did lose some back-row support and some good passers, so that is going to be interesting. We’ve had some disjointed practices this summer, but the bits and pieces I’ve seen look really good.”
The players are skilled and athletic, across all classes. Coach Eppert hopes this team can supplement that with more toughness this season.
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“Traditionally, we have not been,” she said. “We’ve relied on our offense and good passing and haven’t necessarily had to be scrappy. We’ll have to pick that up this year, and if we can do that and clean up some of the back row play, we should be OK.”
This is a young team, with Camryn Carpenter and Taylor Murdock the only seniors. Carpenter served at 85 percent last year, while Murdock did her damage on the front row, leading the team in blocks with 45.
“Taylor has athleticism for sure, and she’s really stepping up as a leader,” Eppert said. “Camryn is going to be our surprise in that, as the season goes along, she’s going to be more vocal.”
The biggest strength for Lapel is this year’s junior class, featuring third-year starters Isabel Anderson and Emily Eppert. Anderson was in the top four in nearly every statistical category for Lapel in 2016, while Eppert tied Murdock for the team lead in kills. Lapel’s coach expects them to rise to an even higher level in 2017.
“I want them to elevate that level of play with athleticism all around,” coach Eppert said. “Emily is a place hitter, but I’d like to see her put a little more power behind it. Isabel — and she probably knows this — she needs to move on to the next play, but sometimes she can’t get out of her own head.”
A third junior, Macie Schmitt, who served at 85 percent with 34 aces, is the front-runner for the important position of libero, played so well the last two seasons by Julia Huber and Abby Shaw. Schmitt’s ability to play anywhere on the floor has to be accompanied by strong communication skills.
“She also knows that there are some other people chasing her,” coach Eppert said. “She knows that, even though she might be the front-runner now, you don’t stay stagnant; you keep pushing yourself.”
Added to the mix of those experienced players are a trio of athletic sophomores in Zoe Freer, Delany Peoples, and Kynlee Taylor. The three are powerful front-line hitters and open up more sets for the Bulldogs to run.
“There’s so many more options,” coach Eppert said. “It’s great, it really is. We don’t always have to rely on Emily. We can run mix plays or combo plays. We can confuse the defense by running different sets. We don’t always have to go the outside (hitters).”
Junior Addie Bailey, sophomores Kenna Bauer and Anna Willis, and freshman Lexi Swanson are other players who could establish roles on the varsity squad this season.
With state champion Wapahani moving up to Class 3A, the sectional will look different, but just as tough with Alexandria replacing the Raiders. Despite a tough Madison County competition that includes Madison-Grant, Alexandria, and Pendleton Heights, and a challenging sectional, coach Eppert and the Bulldogs have high hopes for 2017.
“We know every year Alexandria is going to be tough,” she said. “We’ve got to keep an eye on them, Madison-Grant, and Pendleton. But I believe we can beat any of those teams.”
Lapel will open its regular season at 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at Elwood.
