Five must-see matches and events for the week of Oct. 7
There are some heated conference races going on around the state and three of them will be featured this week with some high-profile matchups. Along with them, there are two notable tournaments going on this weekend. Here’s a closer look…
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Continue ReadingThere are some heated conference races going on around the state and three of them will be featured this week with some high-profile matchups. Along with them, there are two notable tournaments going on this weekend. Here’s a closer look at five big matches and events to check out this week.
Marian at Mercy – Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
It’s round two of the CHSL rivalry between a pair of top 5 teams in Division 1. Top-ranked Mercy picked up a 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 win over No. 5 Marian a few weeks ago on the road and now the Marlins get a chance to host the Mustangs. Marian was without sophomore middle Sarah Sylvester in the first meeting. She has been getting worked back into the lineup after an ankle injury kept her out for a month of play. Mercy hasn’t dropped a set since Jess Mruzik returned from her time playing overseas in Egypt and the Marlins definitely seem to be the team to beat in Division 1. Can the Mustangs put some dents in the Mercy armor the second time around?
Byron Center at Hamilton – Tuesday, 6 p.m.
Two unbeaten OK-Green opponents meet up on Tuesday night, as Hamilton (No. 4 D2) plays host to Byron Center (No. 14 D1). These two met a few weeks ago in tournament play with Byron Center getting a 25-22, 25-16 victory. The Bulldogs finished a game behind the Hawkeyes in last year’s conference race. Hamilton has a solid 1-2 punch of senior outside Corbyn Wayner and junior middle AJ Ediger, while Byron Center has strong hitters in sophomore outside Taylor Humphrey and junior middle Anna Butler. Junior libero Abby Boyle may be the difference-maker in this big matchup.
Clarkston at Lake Orion – Thursday, 7 p.m.
Only two teams remain unbeaten in the OAA Red, one of the state’s top conference. Those two are Clarkston (No. 7 D1) and Lake Orion (No. 15 D1). These two will meet up on Thursday with the opportunity to have control of the league heading into the final few weeks of conference play. The Wolves got their biggest win of the season last week with a four-set victory over Stoney Creek (No. 6 D1). Outside Claire Nowicki had a big match, as did sophomore libero Summer Jidas. The Dragons will look to counter those two with their strong middles of Kendall Robertson and Reagan Goeke, as well as emerging freshman outside Nina Horning. These two have split two best-of-three sets meetings this year.
Novi Invitational – Saturday, 8 a.m.
Once again, Novi brings a lot of the state’s top teams to their facilities for a tournament on Saturday. Along with the host Wildcats (No. 8 D1), teams that will take part include top-ranked Mercy, Marian (No. 5 D1), Saline (No. 12 D1), Bloomfield Hills (No. 13 D1), Grand Blanc (No. 17 D1), Southfield Christian (No. 3 D4), Plymouth Christian (No. 8 D4), Bedford (HM D1), DeWitt (HM D1) and others. There’s not many weekends left in the regular season, so this will be a good test for these teams to prepare them for the challenges that are on the horizon in November.
Jenison Invitational – Saturday, 8:30 a.m.
Another strong tournament field comes together at Jenison this Saturday. The host Wildcats are HM in Division 1 right now and host a stable of teams that includes Coopersville (No. 3 D2), Lakewood (No. 5 D2), Montague (No. 13 D2), Holland Christian (No. 15 D2), Morley Stanwood (No. 8 D3), Covenant Christian (No. 21 D3), Freeland (No. 25 D2), Forest Hills Central (HM D1), Grandville (HM D1) and West Ottawa (HM D1). This tournament seems very much up for grabs and the bracket play should be outstanding. If you are in the area, I would highly recommend checking out this tournament.