Gators sweep Irish in season opener
The Lakeshore Catholic Gators aren’t really sure when what to expect from their senior girls volleyball team this season.
With a year off due to the COVID pandemic and several new players, the Gators took to the court for the first time this season Wednesday and came away with a 26-24, 25-22, 25-19 sweep of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a Niagara Catholic Athletic Association (Zone 2) game played at Notre Dame.
“We’ve been non-stop practising for a few weeks now and we’ve really grown to know each other as a team,” newcomer Grace Luey said. “We’ve really gotten to know each other a lot better and we mesh together pretty well. We all get along, all the girls are really good teammates.”
Luey, who attended Port Colborne High School before switching to Lakeshore last year, admitted it took some time to figure things out in practice.
“Honestly, our first few practices were a little rough because some of the girls don’t play for clubs and it was hard figuring out positions again,” she said. “Some haven’t played since two years ago so trying to figure out our rotations was a little bit difficult. We practised last night and we got into the rhythm and got excited and showed up today and our efforts paid off.”
Luey, who is a soccer goalie who plays for the Niagara International Football Club in Kenmore, N.Y., was thrilled to be back playing high school sports.
“It’s so good. It feels so much better especially because we have an audience too, we have a whole crowd with us,” she said. “It’s great to get back to activities and get back to normal.”
Lakeshore coach Becka Sheehan feels it is vital for the Gators to take it one step at a time.
“It was to create gel between the players, communication, and to know our systems because we have some fresh blood, some players who have never played before, certainly not with each other,” Sheehan said, when asked for her expectations for the season.
Sheehan pointed to veterans Liv Miller and Sadie Reeves as instrumental in helping keep things together.
“They are seasoned players who are good leaders and they helped show the other girls where they’re supposed to be,” Sheehan said. “A few times there was a little bit of congestion and confusion in the middle and that’s problematic.”
Sheehan, too, was thrilled to see the team in action once again.
“It feels dynamite. I’m so happy to see the kids excited to play. You can see how excited they are.”
Fighting Irish coach Jonathan LePera said he was going to do whatever it took to see to it the Irish had an opportunity to play this season.
“That’s the reason I’m coaching,” he said. “I’ve got a few girls who are graduating and going on to university and there was not going to be any chance they weren’t going to be playing in their final year.
“They were asking me to coach. They wanted to play volleyball back in September.”
LePera feels he has a special group.
“They are great kids and I really enjoy coaching them. Winning isn’t everything. They lost graciously. They played a great team in Lakeshore. We’ll get back to practice tomorrow in good spirits.
“They appreciate it. Every practice there’s a thank you, every game there’s a thank you.”
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