Double trouble: Murdock sisters are a key part of Lake Orion’s run
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
LAKE ORION — Growing up in the Murdock household, there has always been a competitive nature and a lot of sports talk. What does one expect when siblings all play sports?
That’s the case in Orion Township, where senior Shannon Murdock and junior Sophie Murdock are key members of one of the state’s top volleyball teams in 2011 and roommates at home.
Even a third Murdock, freshman Hannah Murdock, was called up from the junior varsity to the varsity for the state tournament run. She has practiced with the team the past month and will be expected to fit in next season as the varsity will graduate eight players.
This is a volleyball household and the Murdocks are part of a close-knit second family at Lake Orion.
“It’s always been competitive (at home),” laughed Shannon, who is an All-Region selection and one of Lake Orion’s top performers at a middle hitter. “We talk about sports all the time, too. But in this time of year, it’s all volleyball. We are close, and so is the entire team.”
There are reasons for all of the volleyball chatter. Lake Orion is 53-12-3 overall this season and is playing in the Class A state quarterfinals for only the second time in school history. The Dragons will face Macomb Dakota at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Clair Shores Lake Shore.
Lake Orion is one win away from a coveted destination, the Final Four in Battle Creek. Only one other pack of Dragons have slayed enough opponents to reach that summit and that came in 1988.
TWICE AS NICE: Lake Orion sisters Sophie Murdock (left) and Shannon Murdock are two key players on the Dragons' squad that has reached the Elite Eight in Class A. File Photos | Larry McKee-Dan Stickradt
Shannon Murdock and Sophie Murdock are only a year apart with Hannah Murdock only two years beyond that. The two eldest Murdocks have been key parts of Lake Orion’s run to district and regional championships and a berth in the quarterfinals.
Last year both played on a team that reached the regional finals before a 3-0 setback to eventual state champion Birmingham Marian ended the run. With only two players gone from that squad, the Murdocks and company vowed to make another go at it this autumn.
So far, so good.
The Murdocks have heard talk about the 1988 squad that marched to the state semifinals before being ousted by eventual Class A state champion Livonia Ladywood, 15-3, 15-1. They would love nothing more than to be a part of a team that can reach the same level — or perhaps go a step further and play on the season’s final day.
“I know we all have talked about it,” said Sophie Murdock, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter and part of a wide array of offensive weapons on the Dragons’ deep and talented squad. “The seniors on this team have led the way. That’s one of the things I’ll miss. My sister is a senior and I’ve played with her and some of the other girls since I was (in elementary school). After this week, eight of them, including Shannon, will go on to college ball next season.”
Shannon and Sophie both rank high amongst the Dragons’ stat sheet, including with kills, kill percentage, attacks, attacking percentage and blocks. The numbers don’t mean a thing, as long as the season continues Thursday at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.
“That’s what we want, more than anything,” said Shannon, noting that her team has the talent to win it all if it plays at a high level. “We all want to get there and try to win a (state) championship. We are going to give it our all against Dakota. If we play our best, I know we can get there.”
That will create plenty to talk about in the Murdock household, and around Lake Orion, for some time to come.
To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com . Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and more than a dozen other social media networks.
Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Lake Orion
VOLLEYBALL LINKS:
Clarkston/OAA Volleyball Teams: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/15/elite-eight-clarkston-making-back-to-back-trips-to-quarters-for-first-time/
Lake Orion/OAA Volleyball Teams: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/15/refuse-to-lose-dragons-combine-talent-chemistry-to-make-run-to-elite-eight/
Lake Orion wins first regional since 1988: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/12/lake-orion-captures-first-regional-title-since-1988/
Clarkston knocks out Midland for second straight regional: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/11/clarkston-delivers-chemics-knockout-poison-in-regional-finals/
Volleyball Links: http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=volleyball&x=12&y=13
STEPHANIE MARANI: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/10/aotw-mirani-stands-tall-to-give-clarkston-some-net-presence/
State Rankings: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/11/girls-volleyball-state-rankings-%E2%80%94-nov-7/
Oakland nets Summit League berth: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/11/14/golden-grizzlies-volleyball-nets-summit-league-tournament-berth/
Clarkston trips up Lake Orion for OAA-Red title: http://northoaklandsports.com/2011/10/18/when-powers-collide-clarkston-takes-down-lake-orion-for-oaa-red-division-title/
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/LocalSportsFans
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=590590972#!/pages/wwwnorthoaklandsportscom-Stickradt-Media-Group/143149785699685
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/173434259249
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/538458008
DIGG: http://digg.com/NorthOaklandSports
MIXX: http://www.mixx.com/your_mixx
STUMBLE UPON: http://www.stumbleupon.com/favorites
LINKEDIN:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3225964
http://www.linkedin.com/in/danielstickradt
GOOGLE BUZZ: https://profiles.google.com/104737348129828661071/posts/Nu5anin9mnc#104737348129828661071/plusones/edit/d
BLOGGER: http://www.blogger.com/profile/11724138713158842128
ZANGA: http://northoakland.xanga.com/
REDDIT: http://www.reddit.com/user/NorthOaklandSports/
NEWSVINE:http://northoaklandsports.newsvine.com/
DELICIOUS: http://www.delicious.com/NorthOaklandSports
HI-5: http://www.hi5.com/friend/profile/displayProfile.do;jsessionid=CEE7597CE6B68D3872A14548813AC380?userid=605488982
BEBO: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=10956419869
REPORTING SCORES
Varsity coaches are urged to report varsity results in a timely fashion by e-mail to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or results@northoaklandsports.com, or by calling the sports nightline recording at (248) 812-1053.
Deadlines are normally midnight each day.
High schools and colleges in the NorthOaklandSports coverage region include Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Auburn Hills Christian Academy, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Collegiate, Clarkston Springfield Christian, Holly, Lake Orion, Lake Orion Baptist, Lake Orion Shalom Baptist, Ortonville Brandon, Oxford, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek, Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Bethany Christian, Troy Christian Leadership Academy, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, plus Rochester College, Oakland University and Oakland Community College.
The NOS sports desk will also publish information on club, youth and recreation teams with local or regional interest.
PHOTOS: Have courtesy action photos that who wish to contribute? Please feel free to e-mail photos in a color j-peg format to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com .Please include all pertinent information, including photographer, link back to web site, date, location and competing schools or teams in the photos and the identification of each athlete in each photo.
VIDEO: Have courtesy action videos or interview videos that who wish to contribute? Please feel free to e-mail the embed codes for video or web-link to senior editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com. Please include all pertinent information, including videographer, link back to web site, date, location, competing schools or teams in the video and the identification of each athlete in the video.
INTERNSHIPS / STUDENT WRITERS: High School and college internships are available. Contact marketing director Dennis VanWingerden at dennis@northoaklandsports.com or Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com.