The freshman volleyball team had a terrific afternoon yesterday at the East Kentwood Invite. There they played Byron Center, Grand Haven, and Caledonia, going 3-0 in the process. 

Byron Center, who is a very competitive program, was the first opponent they went against. This match came down to 3 sets. In the first set, the Rangers started off sluggish and had some miscommunication. Due to these errors, the Rangers lost the first 25-16. Ellie Lataski had some crucial and killer serves at the start of the second set, which helped the Rangers get off to a great start and get back into the game. Emma Costello was a major contributor for the Rangers in the last two sets. She incorporated several tips in her play and scored the majority of their points at the end of the second set, which managed the Rangers to a 26-24 victory. The third set started off rough, but Emma led the Rangers on both the defensive and offensive end this set. With Emma’s continuous impact, the Rangers won the last set 17-5, and she was awarded the game MVP. 

Next, they played Grand Haven, and it was a competitive game the entire time. The Rangers won this match in just two sets and were able to move players in different positions as well. By changing the lineup, plenty of energy was added to the game. Cadence Augiano came in clutch for the Rangers with some mid-game aces, which really helped to increase the momentum. Ally Werkema, who normally plays hitter, looked comfortable as ever in her new hitting position. The freshmen middles Ellie Latunski and Maya Hosler were moved to the back row to serve and play defense. Both of them stepped up and stopped the other opponent from scoring. The Rangers won the first set 25-12 and the second 25-18. 

The third and final game was the championship game against Caledonia. Offensively, Brooke Kushak played very effectively, scoring lots of points throught the contest. This guided the Rangers to an early lead. Ally put up some great sets for the hitters. Specifically, Ally and Maya connected on some quick attacks, which helped shift the energy of the game in their favor. Sydney Bacon was also a key contributor to the Ranger offense this game. Lastly, Ella Hunnewell dominated all around and worked her way into the starting line up. This match was won in just two sets, and FHC outscored Caledonia 25-8 the first set and 25-18 in the second. 

The Lady Rangers play next at the Battle of the Hills on Tuesday, September 10, where they’ll look to continue the momentum gained from Thursday.