GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Clarkston rallies past Lake Orion in five games for sixth straight district
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROMEO — Mission accomplished.
With its bar set high every season, Clarkston’s volleyball team passed its first postseason test Saturday, topping arch-rival Lake Orion, 3-2, in a Class A district finals at Romeo High school to complete a 3-0 week.
The second-ranked Wolves posted a 21-25, 25-15, 17-25, 25-23, 15-10 triumph over the ninth-ranked Dragons, who beat Clarkston in last year’s state semifinals. This season the two were moved back into the same district after being separated the past two seasons.
Clarkston (52-6-1) will play in Tuesday’s regional semifinals at Rochester High against unranked Utica Eisenhower, which swept Rochester Stoney Creek, 3-0, in another district final.
“We didn’t make (avenging Lake Orion) our focus, because you always have to beat good teams to make a run,” said Clarkston coach Kelly Avenall, whose team captured its sixth straight district title and eighth in nine seasons. “I’m sure it was in the backs of their minds, but we didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. You have to win one match at a time. We beat them in a great, five-game match a couple of weeks ago and I expected this to be another great match. I thought it could go five games again and it did.”
Senior Rachel Dickerson, much like Thursday’s comeback win against Romeo, was dynamite down the stretch, collecting seven of her match-high 22 kills in the fifth game. Clarkston won the fifth game 15-10 after having to go to an 18-16 edge in the OAA Red Division finale some 16 days earlier.
Emily Popp had 29 digs and Brianna Frakes 39 assists for the Wolves, who will be going after their third straight regional title this week in a region that also contains Birmingham Seaholm and Troy. Clarkston is 5-0-0 this season against the three other schools in its regional.
The fourth game against Lake Orion was crucial, as the Dragons rallied back to tie the game at 23-23, only to see Clarkston close out with kills by Sarah Bullen and Katie Chadwell.
Clarkston led virtually the whole time in the decisive Game 5.
“We have a lot of experience on this team and when it got tight, we found a way to win,” praised Avenall. “Rachel Dickerson is one of the best hitters in the state and Emily Popp and Brianna Frakes have been so steady. Having Kaley Krojonevich back in there, after she missed a lot of the season, really makes a difference. She gives us the experience of last year’s run.”
Sophie Murdock led Lake Orion with 23 kills, while Gabrielle Kulagar had 29 digs for the Dragons (45-18-0), who had won districts in both 2010 and 2011.
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