Prospect Spotlight: 2020’s Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith The recruiting process is in its early stages for 2020 right side Sydney Smith, but if the Lake Orion junior continues to play as well as she has already in 2018, things are going to heat up in…
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Continue ReadingThe recruiting process is in its early stages for 2020 right side Sydney Smith, but if the Lake Orion junior continues to play as well as she has already in 2018, things are going to heat up in a hurry.
A steady member of the Lake Orion varsity team as a sophomore in 2017, Smith was expected to learn and adapt quickly due to the injuries the Dragons dealt with.
That experience has paid off in 2018, as Smith has proven she can be the perfect compliment to 2019 standout hitter Paige Briggs (Western Kentucky) and give the Dragons a dynamic 1-2 punch on the outside.
“She has really taken it up a notch on the right side,” Lake Orion coach Tony Scavarda said of Smith. “She started the season making some errors so I was flip-flopping her every other set with another player, but the last few matches she has been playing so well that I haven’t been able to take her out. She’s just been that steady on her attacks and in the back row.”
Smith is currently second on the team with 111 kills. She amassed 305 as a junior with a .248 hitting percentage, but is already hitting .330 this season.
While Briggs is the focal point of most opponents, Smith is making that more difficult with her development. Combined with senior setter Wren Macaulay (New Hampshire), Smith has seen her game improve a great deal in the past year.
“Having an outside like Paige that can put balls away is amazing. It creates a lot of opportunities for me as well,” Smith said. “Having a setter like Wren just makes me a better player because she puts the ball in a perfect place and has helped me develop my skills.”
The development of Smith, as well as a trio of middles, has made Lake Orion look dominant in 2018. The Dragons are off to a 21-0 start with three tournament wins.
“We aren’t relying on Paige to kill every ball and we can even stay away from her for stretches if we need to,” Scavarda said. “We have a lot of kids that are starting to step up and are getting more comfortable with their roles and their attacks. We have a patient team that is all working together.”
Smith has been a key part to the success and Scavarda knows the team will have to turn to her in big matches to come. He still sees a lot of room for improvement in the junior.
“I would like to see a little more consistency out of her when the set isn’t perfect,” Scavarda said. “The only thing I have been noticing with her that’s a negative is that she tries to do too much with the ball when the set isn’t quite perfect. Those are the plays that she has to rein it in a little bit and allow us to rally and try and get the point with a block or a dig.”
Currently ranked 50th in our 2020 player rankings, Smith is in the early stages of her recruiting, establishing communication with a handful of schools. She is looking to be patient with the process and hopes to garner more interest with a strong junior campaign.
“I am going to be as aggressive as I can all season,” Smith said. “I am putting it on myself to bring my best every match because I don’t want to let my teammates down.”
Smith and the Dragons aren’t being shy about their aspirations this season. Lake Orion has been a preseason contender for years, but hasn’t turned it into a trip to Battle Creek. So far, 2018 looks as if it could be Lake Orion’s year.
“I think we are doing a really good job of performing as a team and finishing matches strong,” Smith said. “Our goal this year, is of course, to win the state finals. We all believe in that goal.”