Lutheran North volleyball celebrating impressive record

By Jacob Herbert

MACOMB TOWNSHIP — The Macomb Lutheran North volleyball team didn’t know if it was going to have a season this year. Now that the Mustangs are on the court, they’re taking full advantage of it. At press time, North was 22-2 overall.

“I’m so thankful we were able to have a season this year,” Mustangs coach Jessica Lancaster said. “Our first day in the gym wasn’t until Sept. 9. The girls were very resilient practicing on the uneven grass and dirt with the droopy nets that fell down if a ball hit the net or if the wind blew too hard.
“I felt overwhelmed with gratitude when we played our first match at Warren Woods Tower that same first week. I was extremely happy for our girls to be able to have a season.”

The Mustangs are winning on the court due to their defense, ball control and strong serve-receive. Their only two losses are to Warren Regina, one in the regular season and the other in the Catholic High School League Cardinal Division Championship.

The Mustangs and Saddlelites played tight matches with Regina winning the regular-season matchup 3-2, and the championship match 3-1. Lancaster said the only difference in those matches was the inability of her team to capitalize when it needed to.

Leadership is another driving force behind North’s season. That leadership starts with senior captain Madisyn Link. The libero is known as the on-the-court leader.

“She is the voice of our team,” Lancaster said. “Her voice is synonymous with our success. She orchestrates the plays and directs traffic when we get out of our system. She leads with encouragement and kindness. She uplifts everyone around her.”

Fellow captain Kiley Comiskey also deserves credit when it comes to leadership. Lancaster called Comiskey the strategic leader of the team. The senior does a good job instructing the team on how to exploit the opponent’s weaknesses and can predict how the opponent is going to attack next.

“The two leadership styles balance each other out well,” Lancaster said.

The coach noted that she has been impressed with the team’s cohesiveness and mental toughness during the current season.

Despite falling in the Catholic League championship, Lancaster still views this season as a success. The Mustangs bounced back from the Regina loss with a 3-0 sweep of Armada High in the first round of the Division 2 district playoffs.

“I am proud of the record,” Lancaster said. “Having a great record is nice, but playing tough teams is better if we want to be challenged, to grow and to improve.”

North was set to play in a district semifinal, after press time. The Mustangs are hoping for their first district title since 2012. For playoff updates, visit mhsaa.com.