This week we’re reviewing some of the highlights of DA’s fall sports season. Today you can read about how the girls volleyball team–dominated by younger players–earned a spot in postseason play and built a solid foundation for next season.
By Bob York
After losing three players who earned All-New England honors last year—Luigia Goodman, Morgan Marks, and Shannon Horn—one might have expected the Big Green to shrivel up and disappear from the pennant chase this fall. But not so.
Despite a rebuilding campaign and a very young roster that featured three seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and one freshman, coach Cathy Markowski got her youngsters into postseason play.
The record that got the Big Green there was 7-7 and once there, the stay (one game) was brief, “but I’m just so proud of what these kids accomplished,” said Markowski. “To think that we had a roster dominated by youth and they still came through to play the way they did and play their way into the playoffs … it’s really amazing when you think of what they were able to do.”
Deerfield drew the eighth seed in the tournament and that means you’re either going to become a Cinderella story or you’re going home early. And for the Big Green, it was the latter as it fell to top seed—and eventual champ—Hotchkiss, 3-1.
“Even though we lost in the tourney, we played Hotchkiss much better than we did during the regular season,” said Markowski. “They dominated us during our regular-season match and swept us, 3-0. In the tourney we improved our overall play and managed to win one game and extend the match to four games.”
Picking up the slack this fall for the departed Goodman, Marks, and Horn were Charlotte McLaughry (’11), who was named recipient of the Coaches’ Award, Marley Morgus (’12), and Hannah Insuik (’13).
McLaughry, who was a right-side hitter, produced 75 aces and 102 kills on the season. Insuik, who was located on the left side, registered 50 aces, 95 kills, and 72 digs. Morgus, meanwhile, picked up 215 assists, 30 aces, and 92 digs. In fact, Morgus and Insuik paved the way during the Big Green’s tourney appearance as Morgus posted three blocks and 30 assists, while Insuik had 10 kills and a pair of assists.
“I’m very pleased with the way we progressed this season,” said Markowski. “Despite the youth and inexperience on the team, we really made some great strides and built a foundation for the future.”
A quick glance at the roster shows just three seniors—Eleanor Parker, Charlotte Kirsten and McLaughry—will be departing. “So, we’ll have a good nucleus to build around … especially when it comes to defense,” said Markowski. “All we need is to find some more help on offense.”
Next year’s lineup will be led by co-captains Morgus and Insuik, along with Nicholle Yu (’12), Georgina Hutchins (’12), Ashley So, (’13), Elizabeth Jeffrey (’13), Tanyaporn Sertthin (’13), Julia Kerbs (’13), and Caroline Dye (’14).
Bob York is a Recorder wire editor. His e-mail address is byork@recorder.com.