D4 Quarterfinals Breakdown And Predictions

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have officially reached finals week for the 2022 postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Things get started on Tuesday with the quarterfinals, where four teams from each division will punch a ticket to Battle Creek.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Division 4 is assured to have a new state champion and there are a lot of top-ranked teams looking to earn that crown this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>No. 3 Athens vs. No. 1 Adrian Lenawee Christian</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These two will meet up at Portage Northern High School. The Cougars have been carrying the preseason buzz as Division 4's top team all season and last week they came out of a region that included the defending D4 champ, St. Philip. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173609' first='Isabelle' last='Kirkendall'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='473915' first='Hannah' last='Baker'] </strong>have provided a great 1-2 punch on the outside for the Cougars. Junior <strong>Gabby Bryja </strong>has been on point throughout the season as well, as has <strong>Dalay Ojeda </strong>in the back row. Lenawee Christian plays very technically sound, which makes it tough for teams to outlast them in long rallies. Athens may be that team. The Indians have a lot of depth at the net behind the likes of <strong>Kylie Quist</strong>, <strong>Jocelyn Hall</strong>, <strong>Kami Parlin </strong>and <strong>Piper Porter</strong>. All also have solid defensively ability to keep the ball from hitting the floor. <strong>Alaina Brubaker </strong>has done the job of recognizing the hot hand as setter. These two played a very tough 3-set match earlier in the season, but its fair to say both have improved since then. Expect another close one on Tuesday that feels like a coin flip.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Lenawee Christian over Athens in 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>No. 10 Lansing Christian vs. Portland St. Patrick</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This matchup takes place at Bendle High School. Portland St. Pats comes in unranked, but the Shamrocks already dethroned No. 9 Fowler on its way to a regional championship. <strong>Natalee Teachworth </strong>has been leading the St. Pats offensive attack throughout the season and is a great all-around athlete, as she's been a force with her blocking as well. <strong>Alivia Huhn</strong> runs the offense for the Shamrocks and is part of a tough serving squad that includes <strong>Marlet Weems</strong>. Lansing Christian answers with <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='172210' first='Katelynn' last='Rottman']</strong>, an explosive hitter in her own right who makes a lot of tough defensive plays as well to assist libero <strong>Ava Waldron</strong>. <strong>Eliza Wortz </strong>has been an asset defensively as well with her blocking, while <strong>Audra Usiak </strong>is a quick setter that has gotten a great feel for the offense and where to place the ball. St. Pats is going to make Lansing Christian work for this win, but the Pilgrims feel like they have more ways to win on paper.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Lansing Christian over St. Pats in 4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>No. 2 Leland vs. No. 5 Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This quarterfinal will be held at Buckley High School. It features a perennial power in Leland that has had some really difficult postseason exits in recent years, against a Sacred Heart team coming off a semifinal appearance in 2021 with plans to return this year. Something will have to give. Leland has always been a team you can count on for good defensive play and aggressive serving. That is no different this season. <strong>Olive Ryder </strong>and <strong>Maeve Sweeney </strong>have been leading the way from the service line. Ryder is also a great defensive player in the back row. Aiding the defensive play is the blocking ability of <strong>Fiona Moord</strong>, alongside setter <strong>Alexis Luce</strong>, who has been able to spread the ball to the Comets' array of hitters. <strong>Flora Mitchell</strong> is among those hitters that can impact the game defensively as well. Sacred Heart has senior outside <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173615' first='Angel' last='Brown'] </strong>that can hold her own with anyone. She was a big part of the 2021 Irish offense and has elevated her game further. <strong>Lillie Laney </strong>holds down the middle while sophomore <strong>Chelsea Lynch </strong>has come through with big kills during this postseason. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='595955' first='Sophie' last='Hauck'] </strong>and <strong>Eliza Pieratt </strong>are a two-setter combo for the Irish that will try to run a fast offense to keep Leland on its heels. Both teams have the offensive firepower to win, it's a matter of the service line and defense in a match this close. I look for Leland to do a little better job of staying in-system to get the high-powered swings more often.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Leland over Sacred Heart in 5</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2><strong>Crystal Falls Forest Park vs. No. 6 Inland Lakes</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marquette plays host to this showdown of northern teams. Inland Lakes has last year's run to the D4 final to rely on for Tuesday's match. Forest Park hopes to play spoiler after running through the best the U.P. had to offer. <strong>Leah Feldhausen </strong>has built off a great 2022 season by stepping up her game in the postseason. She's coming off a 12-kill, 4-block performance in the regional final. <strong>Ema Stepien </strong>and <strong>Ava Fischer </strong>have helped provide some offensive depth for the Trojans, and both have proven to be solid on the block. <strong>Charlie Larson </strong>handles setting duties and has gotten the ball to the right hitters in key moments. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='216118' first='Natalie' last='Wandrie'] </strong>leads the offense after a great showing in Battle Creek last year for the Bulldogs. <strong>Hannah Robinson </strong>has provided a big boost offensively in 2022 as well after being a steady arm for them a season ago. <strong>Ryan Clancy </strong>is also back to lead the defensive effort. She puts in a lot of effort to get to as many attacks as she can and is a big reason for Inland Lakes' success these past two seasons. It's hard to go against the Bulldogs in this matchup. They will have all the confidence you need to win given they have done it before and were determined to do it again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Inland Lakes over Forest Park in 3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->