Four Surging D4 Teams Early In 2023
There’s a lot of volleyball season left, but a handful of Division 4 teams are trying to work their way to the top of the ladder. Some aren’t too surprising, while others are in the process of making a name…
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Continue ReadingThere’s a lot of volleyball season left, but a handful of Division 4 teams are trying to work their way to the top of the ladder.
Some aren’t too surprising, while others are in the process of making a name for themselves against the powerhouse programs in the division.
Battle Creek St. Philip
You can’t ever count out St. Philip in the Division 4 race, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the Tigers playing like a top-5 team this early in the season. They have some experience behind senior middle Makenzee Grimm and senior libero Rylee Altman. Both are right up there in terms of best at their position in Division 4. The Tigers also have a veteran setter in sophomore Charli Greger, who got some experience at the varsity level dating back to eighth grade. Mix in senior outside Jaclyn Ashley and senior DS Rita Kim, and the Fighting Tigers have a lot of experience to rely on. Mixed in this year is a name some might recognize in OH Addi Dzwik. It was just a few years ago that Brooke Dzwik let St. Philip to back-to-back D4 state titles as the most dominant hitter in the division.
Colon
The Magi are taking a few losses this season, but putting their talents up against the best in D3 and D4. These early tests should have them ready come playoff time. Not to mention, Colon is still holding its own in these losses and taking sets in the process. The Magi have a lot of athleticism up front, led by senior middles Macey Burgess and Kelsey Burgess. They both show a lot of ability with their attacks and in their blocking efforts. They are relentless at the net and win a lot of 50-50 balls. Senior Megann Mullins is a nice finishing option on the outside while sophomore Raegan Thaxton provides depth in the middle. Junior Allison Vinson and senior Reese Williams handle setting duties. Williams is a big asset in the back row as well. Her all-around ability allows Colon to use her in a variety of ways. At libero, senior Liv Johnson brings a lot of poise to the court and is doing her part to keep this talented offense in-system.
Hillsdale Academy
The Colts haven’t played as many matches as some of their peers, but they still have some quality wins early in the season. That includes a five-set victory over St. Philip. Hillsdale Academy has been turning to senior outside Ava King for a lot of work early thus far. She’s got nearly half of the team’s kills, racking up 73 through 16 sets. Junior setter Clara Heath has done a good job of getting her the ball in places where she can get momentum going. Liz Creger, a sophomore, junior Ella O’Grady and senior Natalie Spielman are providing some hitting depth for the Colts to take some of the pressure off King. Defensively, King is also leading the team in digs, but has senior libero Angela Alvarez providing a boost as well. Overall, one of the strengths for Hillsdale Academy early in the year has been serving. The team has 56 aces in 16 sets, led by 13 from sophomore Liz Andaloro.
Marlette
The Raiders had to be on some’s radar after moving down from Division 3 this season. Marlette has some good experience to relay on, led by senior middle Gabby Martinez, who has been able to swing the momentum in the Raiders’ favor with her offensive or defensive play. Adilyn Ruggles and Olivia Findlay are a pair of senior outsides to pair alongside Martinez. Dalaney Gage is a senior setter that has a lot of chemistry with the hitters and knows their strengths. In the back row, Emma Heussner has played in some big sets in previous years and is a senior defender the team can rely on in key moments. With this experience in pressure-filled D3 matches, it will be no surprise to see Marlette powering through in close D4 matches.