Troy demolishes lowly Southfield
BY JAKE LOURIM
STUDENT CORRESPONDENT
SOUTHFIELD — On the first point of the game, Southfield received a Troy serve, set the ball up, and put down a kill. There wasn’t a whole lot that went right for the Bluejays the rest of the night.
The Colts trampled the woeful Blue Jays on their home floor in three quick sets, 25-13, 25-15, 25-11 in an OAA White Division match.
It didn’t take many kills for Troy to win its second straight league match —the Colts usually never got the chance to slam the ball to the floor with regularity. Troy had 28 aces and Southfield missed about a dozen serves.
“It’s a night-and-day difference from where they were a year ago,” Troy coach Ed Ruhl said, noting his team’s major rebuilding year last fall.
Under the serve of seniors Jen Thompson and Laney Hart, Troy raced out to an 11-3 lead in the first set and won on Taylor Marquardt’s game-point kill.
With reserve players in, it was the Colts who came out sluggish in the second set, spotting Southfield an 8-6 lead. Down 9-8, however, junior Marcela Sanabria’s serve gained Troy six consecutive points, including five aces. The only thing that could stop Troy was itself — Sanabria’s service error ended the run. Senior Kristen Shetler’s run of five serves, including four aces, ended the game at 25-15.
The 28 aces were out of 67 made serves for Troy (2-0 OAA White). Southfield looked disoriented and overmatched on the court as the Colts outplayed them start to finish.
After an easy win over Auburn Hills Avondale on Tuesday, the Colts were able to rest some starters and evaluate some key position battles on Thursday.
Sophomore star hitter Olivia Parks, a transfer from California, rested the match as a precaution with an injured shoulder. Ruhl said Troy’s best hitter isn’t even at 100 percent yet.
Junior Laney Hart left the libero jersey off, allowing fellow defensive specialists Shetler and Jessica Baranowski to see significant action.
In addition, there is the issue of the second outside hitter spot. Ruhl said that he is still
deciding between junior Hope Keating and seniors Marquardt and Jen Thompson.
He said Thompson could be in front for now but added Keating played well on Tuesday. And, Taylor Marquardt can “be Taylor,” he said.
The upcoming week includes the home opener against West Bloomfield and Thursday on the road at Birmingham Groves as Troy moves through a new slate of OAA White opponents.
Category: High School, Prep Wraps, Troy
