Underclassmen to play key roles for MLC

Mindy Liesemeyer joined the Midland Lutheran College volleyball team with nine other players four years ago.

In this season’s opener Friday at the Red Raider Classic in Orange City, Iowa, Liesemeyer will be the lone remaining player from that class on the squad.

“It’s been a big change but I like it; I love being able to motivate and encourage the girls,” said Liesemeyer. “The bond that we’ve already built will last; we’ve got team chemistry like no other.”

More recently, the team lost three big contributors from last season’s 14-18 finish.

Middle blockers Mikhala Newman and Kylee Polen both suffered back injuries ending their volleyball careers. Also gone is Megan Hoge, a staple on the team for several years, who ended her playing career at MLC with 879 kills.

To restock the roster head coach Kristen Lebeda-Svehla brought in 10 freshmen in the offseason and many will contribute immediately.

“At any one time there will be three to four freshmen on the floor,” Lebeda-Svehla said.

The Lady Warriors did retain their biggest offensive threat in Fremont native Amanda Hunt.

As a sophomore Hunt led the team with 385 kills and 59 service aces.

“She is one of our strong outside hitters,” said Lebeda-Svehla of her first team All-GPAC selection. “She’s going to have to lead and step up in big-time games.”

Lebeda-Svehla also sees freshmen Nessa Blau and Lauren Willett as big contributors this season.

Holly DeVorss led the team with 1,003 set assists last season but is being pushed by freshman Kaylie Heberly.

“That starting position has not been clinched yet,” said Lebeda-Svehla.

Overall the fourth-year coach has been impressed with the play of the team this preseason.

“This is a different group that I’ve coached and different in a good way,” said Lebeda-Svehla. “I’ve got a great second side to give the first side a look and I like that because the intensity in practice picks up.”

Hunt also likes what she’s seen from the team so far.

“We’re a lot younger and are more inexperienced than last year but we have a lot of potential,” Hunt said. “I’m confident in our team, I’ve seen what we can do and I’m sure we pick things up and run with it.”

A big change at the college level this season is games 1-4 will go to 25 points instead of 30 while game 5 is still to 15.

“It shortens the game up,” said Lebeda-Svehla. “It’s to some teams’ advantage where if you come out to a good start and it’s the others that come out to a slow start that are at a disadvantage.

“We used to be a slow-start team and now we’re working on being a fast-start team and we’re doing much better at that; it’s just a matter of be consistent at it.”

Lebeda-Svehla said she’s not real worried about the team coming out slow because practices haven’t been that way.

“The girls have decided that they’re going to let other teams know that regardless of the score they’re going to play hard until that 25th point is reached,” she said. “I’ve seen that in practice every day so I’m pretty impressed with that.”

The home opener for the Lady Warriors is Sept. 16 versus Nebraska Wesleyan.