Traverse City Record-Eagle

Emmet County

November 20, 2008

Pellston takes on rookies in volleyball semis

Hornets enter today's Class D semi on a roll

BY DENNIS CHASE

TRAVERSE CITY -- After a rousing send-off, the Pellston Hornets arrived in Battle Creek a confident and focused volleyball team, heading into today's Class D semifinal match with Lutheran Westland.

"Our team is playing with heart, and energy, and focus, and chemistry," Pellston coach Tim McNitt said. "They're clicking. They're on the same page. Our unforced errors are well below 10 on average in the state tournament. Our setter (Rachel Hutto) is averaging 11 assists per game -- and she's finding all the hitters, not just one or two. She's mixing it up. We were watching a tape of the Crystal Falls (quarterfinal) match on the way down and they couldn't block us because they didn't know where the ball was going.

"We're really excited about this. I made this trip before (in 2003) and we had fun, but these girls want to have fun and they want to win. That's the goal. We're here to win."

The Hornets (46-8-6), who lost to perennial power Battle Creek St. Philip in the 2003 semifinals, advanced to the Final Four with 25-14, 25-19, 25-23 win over Crystal Falls, a team that swept Pellston the previous year in the quarterfinals.

"We wanted revenge," senior captain Kara Pavlisin admitted.

The Hornets were spurred on by an enthusiastic home crowd.,

"I saw people at the quarterfinal who I don't think have ever watched a volleyball game before," Pavlisin said. "It seemed like the whole community came out. A lot of people are excited for us."

That was evident Thursday before the team departed. The marching band, playing the school fight song, led the team through the halls of the elementary, middle school and high school. Students lined the halls, high-fiving team members during the procession.

"It was really cool," Pavlisin said. "It was nice to experience that, to see how much support we have."

Pellston enters the game with a string of five consecutive 3-0 victories. The Hornets have been led by Pavlisin, Katie Dzedzie and Hutto.

Lutheran Westland (45-5-5) is in the Final Four for the first time.

"We know they're good," McNitt said. "They knocked off Adrian Lenawee Christian (in the quarterfinals) and they knocked off Auburn Hills Oakland Christian (in the regional finals). Those are good teams.

"We know they've got one big middle (Rebecca Refenes) who dominates at the net. She's a force. Our goal will be to slow her down and make the rest of the team try to beat us."

Today's game is at 2 p.m. St. Philip (59-7-5) plays Bay City All Saints (17-19-4) in the other semifinal, starting at 3:45. The finals will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kellogg Arena.

"Our team is really focused, prepared," Pavlisin said. "We're ready."

McNitt agreed.

"We've had a saying all year," he said. "I start out by saying, 'Winning isn't everything,' and the kids end it with, 'but the effort to win is.' That's what everyone will see (today) -- we'll play with a lot of effort out there."

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