That's a Wrap - Rustlers Women's Volleyball
Lakeland College Athletics enjoyed a season for the ages. Over the next week, we will be sharing a recap of each team's second semester finish.
Results
Women's volleyball have established themselves as one of the great programs in the history of the CCAA and currently reign supreme.
After an historic campaign in 2023, which saw the squad go 24-1 enroute to a national championship, the Rustlers equaled their win total this year to win back-to-back CCAA titles. Their Week 1 topping of the national rankings stayed throughout the season and their set loss was just a hair off of their pace from a year ago (73-6 compared to 74-4).
Highlights
Once again, Lakeland was perfect in the second semester and undefeated at home, losing just won set in the ACAC Semifinal. Aside from the opening period of the national championship match, the Rustlers held teams to less than 18 points for the duration of the tournament.
Four players were named to the ACAC All-Conference teams - Jana Laing, Lana Matthews, Avery Bates and Seanna Trumier. Matthews and Jenay Varga, who battled injuries in the first semester, were both tournament all-stars at the ACAC and CCAA tournaments, while Laing was named a CCAA All-Canadian, ACAC Championship MVP and CCAA Championship MVP.
Statistics
Bates and Matthews finished 3rd and 5th respectively in kills per set and 4th and 5th in hitting percentage. Bates was also 3rd in blocks per set, while Matthews was 4th in aces per set. Laing lead the league in assists per set (9.82), finishing her career third in total assists in ACAC history (2466).
Summer Outlook
Laing and captain Kaylie Lueck both graduate this spring, but the majority of the roster are returning for the attempt at a three-peat. The team will also run it's annual youth programming over the summer.
Coaches Stamp
Austin Dyer, Women's Volleyball
"As dominant as we were last year, I gage it by our standard of play and we were even better. The question going in was if we are our healthy, what level can we be playing at when we get to the end? Well, it was the highest level I've ever had a college team playing at and it was rewarding for me to see us playing at that high level."