Dowagiac, Cass looking for their identity
Published 9:48 pm Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK
A pair of volleyball teams still searching for their identities squared off at Dowagiac Union High School Monday.
Dowagiac and Cassopolis are a pair of teams that lost key components from last season and are trying to figure out how to replace them.
For the Chieftains, it was Division 1 middle hitter Anne Ennesser, while for the Rangers it was setter Kaylyn Forrest.
Monday night was the second time Dowagiac and Cassopolis have faced off already in the first two weeks of the season.
The Chieftains won the first round at the Cass Classic and were victorious again in the second meeting in straight sets — 25-13, 25-19 and 25-13.
“The girls played a great game and didn’t let up on anything,” Dowagiac coach Rachel Zeider, now in her second season, said. “No matter what, they pushed through and it showed.”
The Chieftains breezed to an easy win in the opening set, but struggled in the second as Cassopolis turned up the intensity.
Dowagiac took advantage of some late Ranger miscues to pull out the second set and then cruised in the third and final set to earn the victory.
Cassopolis coach Demi Schrader, also in her second season, was looking forward to the rematch with the Chieftains.
But following the match, he was left scratching her head.
“I am not sure what happened tonight, but nothing seemed to be clicking,” she said “We definitely did not play our game. We have a lot of work to do.”
Both teams will now have some time off before facing their next opponents.
Cassopolis will host New Buffalo Sept. 7, while Dowagiac will open up Wolverine Conference action Sept. 8 at Three Rivers.
DOWAGIAC 3, CASSOPOLIS 0
At Dowagiac
Set scores
Dowagiac d. Cassopolis 15-13, 25-19, 25-13.
Dowagiac individual statistics
Aces
Hannah Whitaker 5
Natalie Davis 4
Taylor Hulett 4
Kills
Hulett 10
Amiyah Smith 5
Kelsey Crocker 3
Kenzie Cross 3
Blocks
Smith 4
Emily Demeter 2
Crocker 1
Hulett 1
Digs
Davis 10
Shelby Jackson 7
Kassidy Binns 3
Crocker 3
Hulett 3
Assists
Binns 25
Cassopolis individual statistics
Aces
Lynnzee Armstrong 1
Maile Barber 1
Jami Suseland 1
Kills
Jami Suseland 3
Kayla Rowan 4
Madison Brooks 2
Maile Barber 2
Lynnzee Armstrong 4
Assists
Lynnzee Armstrong 10
Digs
Kayla Rowan 10
Maile Barber 11
Lynnzee Armstrong 6
Madison Cutting 5
Varsity records: Cassopolis 2-3, Dowagiac 5-3.
