Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Gogebic Community College assistant volleyball coach Taylor Lane, right, works with Dani Irons of Hurley during practice Wednesday at the Lindquist Center in Ironwood. They were helping Irons with finishing her hits and snapping her wrists because she had been hitting shots out of bounds.
IRONWOOD - The Gogebic Community College Lady Samsons start the volleyball season with a tournament at Vermilion at Friday and Saturday.
Coach Aaron Bender just wishes more players were making the trip than the eight currently on the roster. But the Lady Samsons have a good group of setters and outside hitters to make up for that.
"Numbers are down," he said. "It's frustrating. But at the same token, it is what is. These are the girls have committed and have shown their dedication to the game. I think the talent is still there."
Sophomore Sarah Trudgeon of Bessemer, freshman Lauren Ryskey of Watersmeet and freshman Mandy Perrault of Lake Linden all come in with setting experience. Perrault already graduated from GCC, but she continues to take classes here.
"I think we have enough setting; I think we'll be OK in that category," Bender said.
Sophomore Darian Vinkemeier of Belle Plain, Minn., and freshman Lexi Engler of Mercer, Wis., will be the outside hitters. Perrault will join them at times.
"We have two very strong outside hitters," Bender said. "We'll struggle a little bit in the middle."
Sophomore Elizabeth Hill of Drummond will be a utility player. India Schindler of Iron River, Mich., and Dani Irons of Hurley round out the Lady Samsons.
The NJCAA Division II Region 13 tournament will be hosted by Dakota County Technical College in the Twin Cities on Oct. 23-25.
"We don't have a conference to compete in," Bender said. "You gradually improve and then make some noise in that region tournament and anything can happen."
The Lady Samsons first home game is Sept. 9 against Finlandia.
Schedule
Friday, Saturday, at Vermilion Tournament
Friday, Sept. 4-Saturday, Sept. 5, at Northland
Wednesday, Sept. 9, vs. Finlandia
Saturday, Sept. 12, at UW-Marinette Invite
Wednesday, Sept. 16, vs. Vermilion, UWS JV
Saturday, Sept. 19, vs. DCTC, Silver Lake College, UW-Barron County
Monday, Sept. 21, at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Saturday, Sept. 26, at Itasca CC Invite
Monday, Sept. 28, at UW-Barron County
Wednesday, Sept. 30, at UWS JV
Friday, Oct. 2, at Silver Lake College
Friday, Oct. 9-Saturday, Oct. 10, at Finlandia University
Monday, Oct. 12, vs. Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Monday, Oct. 19, at Finlandia University
Tuesday, Oct. 20, vs. Hibbing
Friday, Oct. 23, Saturday, Oct. 24, Sunday, Oct. 25, NJCAA Division II Region 13 tournament, Roseville, Minn.
