Avery Brandewie drives a kill in front of coach John Rodgers. (Press Pros Feature Photos by Julie McMaken Wright)
In straight sets Loramie demonstrated Thursday evening the frightening reality of just how dominate they can be when they’re playing well.
Fort Loramie, OH – Now, you can’t use a cliche’ like…they never knew what hit ’em.
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Because, Anna coach Kelli Zumberger knew all too well what was coming. She had to. Her Rockets were 8-1 entering Thursday night’s match with Fort Loramie, and more importantly, the Rockets were tied with Loramie as the only two unbeatens in the Shelby County Conference.
But none of it mattered as Fort Loramie blew by Anna in straight sets, improving as the match wore on, winning 25-14, 25-8, and 25-6. It’s awkward to say they never had a chance, because Anna is a program on the rise. But the truth is…Loramie was that good – is that good – and simply left them no margin for error.
Loramie can beat you in a lot of ways…blocking is one of them.
They can beat you in a lot of ways.
They serve aggressively, and served accurately on Thursday.
Their blocking at the net is an obstacle for anyone they play.
They’re athletic, and their qualities on defense will rival any Division VII team in southwest Ohio, and most Division VIs.
But perhaps their most compelling attribute is their experience…and, their hunger.
“This is a team of eight seniors,” said Redskins coach John Rodgers. “And Kelli has her team [Anna] playing well. But those eight seniors are really driven. They’re competitive, and they’re confident, and they have their goals looking forward. It doesn’t matter who they play, they get out there and play for each other and get after it.”
In a game of runs and momentum, Loramie put on a clinic Thursday, pulling away from a see-saw start in the first set with an 8-1 run that gave then a double-digit advantage. Credit Anna, however, for hustle, extending rallies, and making Loramie work for points, but eventually the Redskins just wore them down. The first set finished 25-14.
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That momentum from the first carried over to the second…aggressive serving, precise hitting, and a 13-2 run in the middle of the set that eliminated any chance for a Rockets comeback. Loramie…25-8.
And to the point about they’re having a lot of ways to beat you…one of the most important is the ability to put you down, and keep you down. Loramie came out in the third and immediately went out to a 14-1 lead. Again, they eliminated all chance for an Anna comeback, winning eventually, 25-6.
Anna’s Ashley Gehret takes a spill with this dig attempt.
You simply cannot play better than Loramie played. And again it’s important to note that Anna is a much-better-than-average volleyball team…athletic, well-coached, and enthusiastic about their early 8-1 start. But it didn’t matter against Loramie. They were on their game – Avery Brandewie, Victoria Mescher, Jenna Barhorst, and Thursday, Deanna Rodeheffer, all seniors, who drove one kill after another through the heart of the Rockets defense.
“Effort has never been an issue with this group,” added Rodgers. “Never once have I had to remind them to give me more effort. It’s ingrained in them with everything they do, and with every sport they play. That’s how they are.
“And we work on what to do when someone makes a diving save in the first row of seats…then how do we play out of that, and that’s where we train to make the kind of shots we were making down the line. Get a broken play, get ’em scrambling, and make a heads-up shot to the corner.”
Through all those arms and legs, Loramie’s Katie Luthman demonstrates perfect receipt of serve.
It’s easier said than done, of course, except Loramie is in that competitive zone right now where they do it on demand.
“I’ve mentioned before,” concluded Rodgers. “I wait until ten games into the season before I start looking at stats, evaluating, and things like that. I think the staff has made some good coaching decisions, they’ve done a great job preparing these girls, and the girls have bought into the decisions we’ve made. Now we’ve just got to keep after it – get better at what we do.”
Perish that thought if you’re one of those 13 remaining opponents between now and the end of the season. Those opponents include New Bremen, St. Henry, and Marion Local, by the way, so he isn’t blowing smoke when he says they have to keep getting better.
And odds are, they will. The better the teams you play, the better you get.
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