LCO volleyball players receive awards at honors banquet

By Terrell Boettcher

Sawyer County Record

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Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School girls volleyball team members received awards and kudos during a season honors banquet at The Steakhouse & Lodge in Hayward Monday, Nov. 6.

Head coach Jathan Brubaker said the Migiziwag varsity finished with a record of 6-17, including Northern Lights Conference wins over Solon Springs, Butternut and Bayfield, and three nonconference wins in a tournament at Elcho, where they placed third.

Another major accomplishment for the team was two games with no missed serves, Brubaker said.

The coach cited the individual accomplishments of:

•• Amari Bildeau, senior outside hitter, Most Valuable Player, 90.7% serve success (tied for first on team), average hitting percent of .128, first on team; averaged 6.1 kills per match (second).

Amari lettered all four years and received Northern Lights All-Conference Honorable Mention this season.

•• Brandi Thomas, sophomore setter, 90.7 serve percentage (tied for first)

•• Aniyah Cross, junior setter. In just seven matches, she had the most assists with 31. She had her best game against Bayfield, where she served at 100% and had a serve-receive rating of 2.00.

•• Ally Larson, junior outside hitter, first in kills per match with 7.8 and in digs with 10.8, second in serve-receive rating with 1.49 and in hitting percentage with 103.

The coach cited Ally for “great leadership and sportsmanship” throughout the season, “always encouraging players to do better.” She earned the team’s Character and Leadership award.

•• Summer DeMain, who started playing varsity late in the season and “stepped up her game” with spiking and passing.

•• Maelynn Gauthier, sophomore outside hitter. “She can send and hit very well,” Coach Brubaker said.

•• Cassidy Kingfisher, junior setter. She was cited for her “determination and hard work.”

•• Aaliyah Alexander, freshman outside hitter, Rookie of the Year. She finished first on the team with six assists per match, third in ace serves and fourth in in serve percent.

•• Emma McNabb, sophomore right-side hitter. The coach said she has “really improved over the last part of the season,” especially on defense.

•• Lily Hamilton, sophomore, Most-Improved Player. She had a strong presence at the net and had some “huge blocks” and touches at the net. She was a “very committed teammate.”