Lyons-Decatur Northeast hoping for good season

Team: Lyons-Decatur Northeast

Mascot: Cougars

Colors: Maroon, Gold, and White

Class: D-1

Head Coach: Angela Hathaway (2nd season)

2014 record: 13-18

Returning Starters: 7


Overview:

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars hope having a good amount of returning experience leads to a more successful season than they had in 2014 when they went 13-18.

Returning for 2nd year Head Coach Angela Hathaway is Brianne Haskell (5’8 OH 12th), Madie Ronnfeldt (5’7 M 12th), Tessie Collins (5’8 M 12th), Abby Peterson (5’6 DS/L 12th), Kelly Wakeley (5’7 OH 11th), Lexie Bacon (5’5 S 11th), and Mickayla Petersen (5’9 S/RS 12th).

Lyons-Decatur Northeast won't be the tallest team this season, but the Cougars should have some pretty good speed.

 

Hathaway feels the combination of the returning starters and a newcomer is a positive. "We have one incoming freshman and a lot of returners. We will be a pretty well balanced team."

This appears to be a pretty experienced, veteran team. I imagine the returning starters will help out the one incoming freshman who could make an impact. 

I look for Lyons-Decatur Northeast to be pretty salty this season. These girls have played quite a bit of volleyball over the course of their careers, and I'm sure the Cougars want to make this season one to remember.

Hathaway says her squad needs to work on hitting well consistently. "We need to improve the most when it comes to having a consistent 2 or 3 hitters going for every attack. By creating a stronger middle and right side attack we will be a more effective team."

It will be important for Lyons-Decatur Northeast to serve, serve receive, pass, hit, dig, and communicate well.

The Cougars have to play solid volleyball on offense and defense this season.

Hathaway says her team has to play well from a physical and mental standpoint. "We need to have a consistent attitude and belief for every game. We have to decide to play the game with enthusiasm and commitment to every ball."

It will be important for Lyons-Decatur Northeast to give 100% effort on everything they do this season.

Whether it's practice or a match, the Cougars have to give it their all. Every drill, every point, every set, and every match is important.

Everything counts and Lyons-Decatur Northeast has to understand the importance of everything they do.

There's a reason for everything they are and will be doing in practice, and the better the Cougars perform in practice, the better they will perform in matches.

It's really about focusing in on the little things and doing them properly that will allow Lyons-Decatur Northeast to be more successful this season.

The Cougars were up and down a season ago, but with a good core of players returning I look for Lyons-Decatur Northeast to be more consistent this season.

Season Outlook:

The Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars hope their last season of volleyball as LDNE is one to remember.

Hathaway says this season could be special. "The girls have been working extremely hard this summer and have shown a lot of commitment in that are. We believe that we are going to do great things."

The schedule is a mix of good teams and teams the Cougars should have a good chance to beat.

Lyons-Decatur Northeast has tough matches against West Point-Beemer, Oakland-Craig, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Emerson-Hubbard, Cedar Bluffs, Howells-Dodge, and North Bend Central.

And that doesn't include the tournaments the Cougars are participating in this season.

If Lyons-Decatur Northeast can keep their heads up and not dwell on negative plays they should have a chance to win quite a few matches this season.

One would think the Cougars have a chance to win anywhere from 20-25 matches given how much experience they bring back.

Winning that many matches may be a lot to ask, but expectations have to be pretty high for this team.

I'm sure Lyons-Decatur Northeast expects to be good this season, and if they work hard and improve throughout the season, they can certainly be a team to be reckoned with.

The Cougars may have to go through Cedar Bluffs in sub districts to get to a district final, and that could prove to be a difficult challenge, but don't underestimate the power of this team.

It's the last season Lyons-Decatur Northeast will be playing volleyball as LDNE so wanting to go out on a high note as a program can be a very strong motivator for postseason success.

Sub districts are over two months away though so the Cougars just have to enjoy the ride of this season, and improve every week.

I'm sure Lyons-Decatur Northeast is excited to get this season started.

2015 Lyons-Decatur Northeast Cougars Volleyball Schedule:

  

09/03/15	West Point-Beemer	C1
09/08/15	@ Clarkson/Leigh	C2
09/10-09/12	(To Be Determined)
09/15/15	Oakland-Craig	C2
09/15/15	Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family	C2
09/19	(To Be Determined)
09/22/15	Scribner-Snyder	D2
09/24/15	Emerson-Hubbard	D1
09/24/15	Winnebago	C2
09/29/15	Madison	C1
09/29/15	Howells-Dodge	D1
10/01/15	Boys Town	C1
10/01/15	Cedar Bluffs	D1
10/03-10/03	(To Be Determined)
10/06/15	@ Logan View	C1
10/08/15	Bancroft-Rosalie	D2
10/13/15	North Bend Central	C1
10/15-10/17	(To Be Determined)
10/20/15	@ Pender	D1
10/27/15	@ Tekamah-Herman	C1