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Seasoned Cardinals looking forward to successful 2020 season

Lead Summary
By
Brennen Rupp

The Luverne girls’ volleyball team finished the 2019 season with a 10-13 record. The Cardinals lost six seniors from last year’s team but will have five returning starters.
“We have five returning starters,” Luverne head coach Sarah DeBeer said.
“Elise Ferrell (junior left-side hitter), Morgan Gonnerman (junior left-side hitter), Gracie Zewiske (senior middle hitter), Trista Baustian (junior setter) and Regan Bork (junior setter).”
The six seniors that the Cardinals lost to graduation will be hard to replace. However, DeBeer said that they did a great job of mentoring the younger girls and helped prepare them to be leaders.
 “The seniors we lost are    Tacey Baustian (setter), Mallory Thorson (middle hitter), Sydney Biever (left-side hitter), Maren Schaap (defensive specialist), Alyssa Nattress (defensive specialist), and Ainsley Rysdam (right side),” DeBeer said. “Tacey was a three-year starter for us but was a great mentor for Reghan and Trista to lead our team this year.”
“Mallory Thorson was a dominant hitter, a great leader, and always a player you wanted to get the ball. Alyssa Nattress will be greatly missed for her overall leadership and never-quit attitude.”
This year’s team will have five seniors on the roster. One of those seniors is Gracie Zewiske, the team’s returning middle hitter.
  “She brings great enthusiasm to the court,” DeBeer said, “as well as a great swing and block.”
A possible running mate up front for Zewiske is fellow senior Paige Sandbulte. DeBeer said that Sandbulte has plenty of experience to make an impact this season.
“Paige returns with right-side and middle hitting experience,” DeBeer said. “She has a great block as well.”
  A pair of seniors that are returning are Mckenzie VanGrootheest and Sadie Reisdorfer. DeBeer said that duo were two players that the team could always rely on last season.
“They were two of our players last year that were always willing to step in and work hard in very intense moments for our team,” she said.
A new face to the Cardinals program this season is senior Crystal Sayavong. DeBeer said that Sayavong’s work ethic and team-first attitude have made her a great addition to the team.
 “She has a great attitude,” DeBeer said. “She’s willing to work hard. I'm hoping to utilize her in the back row.”
Another new face to the program is junior Macy Stratton. The way Stratton communicates with her teammates on the court has caught DeBeer’s attention.
“A standout from practice so far is Macy Stratton (junior/defensive specialist),” DeBeer said. “She is new to our program this year but fits in very well with our team. She communicates very well, has great leadership qualities, and most importantly reads the ball very well on defense.”
Another standout in practice has been sophomore Christiana Wagner. DeBeer said Wagner is a very coachable player and could provide a boost to the team’s blocking this season.
 “Christiana has shown great improvement from last year,” DeBeer said. “That improvement shows up in the middle as a hitter and a blocker. She takes feedback very well and will be a great force in our blocking and hitting scheme this year.”
A player who had a successful season on the B-squad last year and could help the varsity team this season is Kamryn VanBatavia. DeBeer said that VanBatavia is a strong hitter for a sophomore.
“Kamryn has shown a strong presence as a hitter coming off of her B-squad year,” DeBeer said. “I look forward to utilizing her on both the right side and left side as a hitter as well as a blocker.”
With so many experienced players returning, it will allow the Cardinals to play a more up-tempo style than last year’s team.
  “With such a young team last year and having those players returning with lots of time already on the varsity court, I believe some of our strengths for this year will be blocking and a faster-paced offense,” DeBeer said.
This volleyball season is going to be unlike any other. As it stands right now, there will be no spectators allowed at the games. There will be no state tournament. As the Cardinals head into the great unknown, DeBeer said they are focused on what they can control.
 “This season is certainly going to be different from any other season,” DeBeer said.
“Team work, perseverance, hard work and continued learning will be things we need to focus on for our 2020 volleyball season.  Focusing on what we need to do on our side of the court to be successful when preparing for each opponent will be the key to our season’s success.”

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