Spikers can look back at their season and know they accomplished a lot – ranked No. 1 in Division 1 Volleyball, winning their eighth consecutive league and district titles.
The Clarkston Varsity Volleyball team finished their season with a 3-1 loss to Romeo in the MHSAA Division 1 Regional Finals.
“It was hard to look at the whole season as a whole but they did have an outstanding season,” said Kelly Pinner, head coach, adding they finished with a 50-7-1 record and won Beast of the East. “We just found a night we didn’t play very well and Romeo was outstanding.”
The girls won the first game against Romeo 25-23 and were ahead of Romeo by eight points in the second game.
“Romeo began chipping away at our lead,” said Pinner. “It was back and fourth at the end. It could have gone either way.”
The girls lost 28-26.
“After we lost I talked to the girls about we have been in situations where we have lost and we just have to have fun,” Pinner said. “They had confidence going into that third game. Romeo has an outstanding hitter. We tried to adjust the block on her and just couldn’t. We couldn’t stop her.”
The Lady Wolves lost the next two games 25-17 and 25-14.
“Maggie Collins had a really good match,” Pinner added.
Collins had 11 kills and three blocks while Abbey Malinowski had 12 kills and four blocks.
The Lady Wolves won the first round of regionals against Troy, 3-0 – 25-13, 25-18 and 25-12.
Taylor Dellinger led the team with 19 kills and Malinowski added 17 kills. Emily Malinowski had 36 assists and Ashley Schwartz had 14 digs.
Pinner added the loss in the regional finals will help the returners as they prepare for next fall.
“They will definitely have a hunger for making it past this point,” she said. “It is a hurdle for us. It is always a road block for us. My hope for the girls is they want to take it one step further.”
The Lady Wolves graduate six seniors this season – Emma Alexander, Meaghan Farrell, Rachel Vieira, Emily Malinowski, Alison Haas and Taylor Dellinger.
Pinner added this group added a new level of play to the program.
“They are very talented and able to do some things and accomplish some things we haven’t been able to do in the past,” Pinner said. “All around the legacy of their talent, legacy of play – a lot of the younger kids saw it. They brought it every time they played.”