No fear: Lady Mikes volleyball team not intimidated by move up in class
Carmichaels鈥� Nicole Ludrosky (right) sends the ball over the net against Geibel Catholic during a match last year. Ludrosky returns for her senior season with the Lady Mikes. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels head coach Julianne Speeney, middle right, talks to her team during a timeout in a match at Geibel Catholic on Sept. 19, 2019. Speeney is entering her second season with the Lady Mikes and helped lead them to a share of the Section 2-A title a year ago.
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels鈥� Emma Hyatt and Alexandra McGee attempt to block a shot against Geibel Catholic during a match at Geibel Catholic last year. Both girls return for their senior season with the Lady Mikes.
Carmichaels鈥� (from left) Emma Holaren and Sydney Kuis await a serve during a match last year. Both girls return for their senior season with the Lady Mikes. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
With a load of talent returning and leaving a section it has dominated, one would think the Carmichaels girls volleyball team would be upset about moving up in classification for the 2020 season.
Not so, says second-year coach Julianne Speeney.
鈥淭hey were excited actually, which surprised me even,鈥� said Speeney, whose team will jump from Section 2-A up into Section 3-AA. 鈥淲e found out in January and they were all talking about who was going to be in our section and how this was going to be a great change for them, and how it will push them and challenge them.
鈥淚t was all positive.鈥�
And why not? The Lady Mikes sport one of the area鈥檚 strongest volleyball programs.
Carmichaels鈥� senior class has a combined section record of 38-4 over the past three years. In that span, the Lady Mikes have won their first two section championships and reached the WPIAL final and qualified for the PIAA playoffs, both also team firsts.
鈥淭hey are a very accomplished class,鈥� Speeney said. 鈥淲e have 10 varsity returners and seven of them are seniors: Nicole Ludrosky, Madison Ellsworth, Emma Holaren, Emma Hyatt, Sydney Kuis, Alexandra McGee and Alizah Roberts.
鈥淚 was their coach last year, and the years before that I was (an assistant coach) with Geibel and we were in the same section, so I鈥檓 pretty familiar with these kids, what they鈥檙e capable of and how they鈥檝e developed over the past couple years under me and under my sister (Ashley Shoemaker, who stepped down after the 2018 season), and the steps that they鈥檝e taken to develop not only their skills and techniques, but their strategic mindset.
鈥淵ou can see how that shows on the court. They鈥檙e calling things out to me a lot of times, so I don鈥檛 have to even say anything. That鈥檚 what you want, a culture that thinks like the coach thinks.鈥�
Sophomores Beth Cree and Kendall Ellsworth (Madison鈥檚 sister) and junior Aliyah Thomas are also returning lettermen, and joining that group in Speeney鈥檚 rotation will be junior Emy Mejia.
Speeney doesn鈥檛 see one sole leader on her squad, rather she feels her entire senior class fills that role.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e honestly all come together so well,鈥� Speeney said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e taken the younger ones under their wing. I see them pulling them off to the side and trying to help them. I only have one set of eyes and can only be at one place at one time, as well as my assistant (Carmichaels graduate Emma Lewis).
鈥淭hey鈥檝e all stepped up into that leadership role and developed a great family atmosphere to bring those kids together, and with dedication. I think that鈥檚 what a lot of teams need to be successful.鈥�
The Carmichaels seniors are not only all considered leaders, but they鈥檙e also interchangeable on the floor, according to Speeney.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all very versatile,鈥� Speeney said. 鈥淚 can pretty much put them anywhere in the rotation and they鈥檒l succeed for me.鈥�
The Lady Mikes鈥� new section includes perennial power Frazier, along with Waynesburg Central, Beth-Center, Brownsville, Southmoreland and Charleroi.
Speeney acknowledged the upgrade in talent the Lady Mikes will face this year but is more concerned with her own team and how it plays.
鈥淚 have looked at it a little bit, but I try to make sure the kids stay focused on what we can control more than what the other teams are doing,鈥� Speeney said.
鈥淟et鈥檚 face it, volleyball is more than just the bump, set, spike. There鈥檚 a lot of mental play in the game, so you want to make sure you鈥檙e focused on what you鈥檙e doing and what your team is doing.鈥�
The Lady Mikes began their season Monday with a 3-1 section win over visiting Southmoreland.