Roseville

Roseville High volleyball coach optimistic after loss in district final

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Deb Jacques The Roseville High girls volleyball team saw its season end in a 3-0 loss to Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse in an MHSAA Class A District final, played Nov. 1 at Roseville. Pictured is Panthers senior Aja Williams (18). Photo by Deb Jacques The Roseville High girls volleyball team saw its season end in a 3-0 loss to Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse in an MHSAA Class A District final, played Nov. 1 at Roseville. Pictured is Panthers senior Aja Williams (18).

ROSEVILLE— “The hot team stayed hot.”

That’s how Roseville High volleyball coach Tom Pfiefer described what transpired in his team’s Michigan High School Athletic Association Class A district final loss to Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse.

The Lancers downed the Panthers 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 25-10) on Nov. 1 at Roseville.

The first game of the match was a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams make runs to take leads. L’Anse Creuse (9-17-1) jumped out to an 8-3 lead before a 12-4 run put Roseville (12-21-3) ahead 15-12. Once the Lancers took a 22-21 lead, L’Anse Creuse — district champs for the first time since 2009 — controlled the remainder of the match.

“Had some of those points gone the other way, things might have been different,” said Pfiefer, in his fourth year with the Panthers. “We just cooled off after that.”

Pfiefer said he was proud of his team, adding its come a long way in his four years at the helm. He said the loss is a learning experience and will help his team better prepare in the future.

That future is bright, he said, as Roseville should return 11 of 15 players, including juniors Nikki Franchy and Samantha Ryan, who Pfiefer expects to lead the team in 2013.

That’s not to say the Panthers’ coach won’t miss the four seniors — Katie Kyewski, Courtney Meatte, Kajsha Albert and Aja Williams — who came into the program with him.

Pfiefer said those four have helped put the program on solid ground with their contributions.

Kyewski, understandably emotional after the match, said through all of the ups and downs the program has seen in her time, she wouldn’t change any of it.

“We’re in a place some people didn’t think we’d be,” Pfiefer said. “We’re in district finals with bigger schools and we’re competing with them. A lot of the credit for that goes to those four seniors.”

On the road to the Class A district final, Roseville knocked off Clinton Township Chippewa Valley 3-2 Oct. 31 at Roseville in a semifinal match. The Lancers and Panthers each received byes to the district semis.

For more on the MHSAA state volleyball playoffs, check www.candg news.com or www.mhsaa.com.

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