Roseville

L'Anse Creuse volleyball upends Roseville to win district title

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Deb Jacques The Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse volleyball team won three matches in four days to win its first district title since 2009. Pictured is Lancers junior Natalie Courtright, left. Photo by Deb Jacques The Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse volleyball team won three matches in four days to win its first district title since 2009. Pictured is Lancers junior Natalie Courtright, left.

ROSEVILLE — The Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse volleyball team decided to put its lackluster regular season in the rearview mirror once the 2012 Michigan High School Athletic Association state playoffs began.

The Lancers, just 13-30-1 when the postseason began Oct. 29, won three games in four days to capture the school's first district title since 2009. The run culminated with a 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-10) win over Roseville High in a Class A District final played Nov. 1 at Roseville.

L'Anse Creuse moves on to face the winner of a Class A district taking place at Macomb L'Anse Creuse North in a  regional semifinal. That match is set for 7 p.m. Nov. 6 at St. Clair Shores Lake Shore. The Lancers will face either Port Huron Northern, Macomb Dakota, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North or Anchor Bay.

"I told them that once November hits, it's a new season," said L'Anse Creuse coach Alysia Williams, whose team sat at 16-30-1 after its District title win. "Everything we went through was to prepare us for (the playoffs). I think that's why we were able to do what we did."

The first game of the match was a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams make runs to take leads. The Lancers  jumped out to an 8-3 lead before a 12-4 run put the Panthers (12-21-3) ahead 15-12. Once taking a 22-21 lead, the Lancers — district champs for the first time since 2009 — controlled the remainder of the match.

L'Anse Creuse led start to finish in the second game, jumping out to a 10-3 lead before winning the game by 12 points.

Roseville raced out to an early 4-2 lead in the third and final game, but the Lancers outscored the Panthers 23-6 in securing the win and the district title.

"That first game, I thought it was hotly contested," Roseville coach Tom Pfiefer said. "They were able to get the win there and stay hot, while we cooled down. It might have been different if some of those points had gone our way, but hats off to (L'Anse Creuse)."

In advancing to the District title game, L'Anse Creuse bested St. Clair Shores Lake Shore 3-0 Oct. 29 and came out of an 0-2 hole to best Fraser 3-2 Oct. 31.

Roseville knocked off Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 3-2 Oct. 31 to advance to the district final. Both teams had byes to the semis.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.