Volleyball: Saving the best for last

Setter Ruthie Schmitt All-Missota Conference (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The 2013 Tigers started fast, struggled a little in the middle and then peaked at tournament time, advancing to the semifinals of the Section 1AA tournament for just the fourth time in school history.

Translated into numbers, Mike Woody's team, featuring a mix of younger and older players, put together an overall record of 19-12; 2-5 in a very competitive Missota Conference schedule.

"Nineteen wins and getting to the section semifinals puts this year's team right up there with our 2009 state tournament team," Woody said. "This group worked very hard at continuing to improve with the goal to being their best at the section tournament.

"A couple of bounces go our way against Mayo in the semifinals and who knows? It was a great season."

Woody and staff awarded varsity letters to a dozen players for their work during the 2013 campaign: captains Ruthie Schmitt and Morgan Cecchittini and libero defensive specialist Diana Comes.

Underclassmen receiving monograms included junior Alica Hett, Summer Skokan, Allie Welter, Alexis Bradley, Vanessa Garske and Hanna Baer and freshmen Kenzie Hesse, Emma Fahning and Amber Ripley.

Setter Schmitt, who piled up 896 assists during the season was named to the elite all-Missota Conference team while Cecchittini, the team leader in blocks with 112, received all-league honorable mention.

Morgan Cecchittini (left) All-Missota honorable mention (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Other statistical leaders included Fahning, digs (351) and service aces (69); Hesse, kills (380) and Comes, serve receptions (455).

Although the strong post-season finish ranked as Woody's top highlight from the season just completed, he was quick to point out a couple of other big ones, namely an early season win over Apple Valley and a runner-up finish at the 16-team Cannon Falls Invitational tournament.

Woody said that the loss of three senior starters will impact next year's squad be he expressed confidence that his 2014 team will be able to hold its own.

"We have a solid core coming back," he said. "I look for next season to look a lot like this with the girls making another October run."

Like all of the other Tiger sports, the schedule will look a lot different fall with the impending move from the Missota to the South Suburban Conference.

"There will be tougher competition night in and night out," Woody said. "We lose a couple of 'easy' matches we had at the bottom but the top of the new conference will look a lot like the top of the Missota. We have been used to playing state championship-type teams like Shakopee, Chaska and Chanhassen."