Lansing volleyball wins sectionals, regionals

The Lansing volleyball team’s perfect season lives on.

On Nov. 6, the Bobcats won their second consecutive Section IV Class C title after taking down Oneonta in three sets. The championship match was a rematch of last season’s final where the Bobcats prevailed in a five-set thriller. Six days later, they swept Section III champions Skaneateles in regional play and advance to the state championships.

The sectional final triumph marked the 100th career win for eighth-year head coach Nicole Lamie. Nearly half of those victories have come over the past two seasons, as the Bobcats continue to grow stronger under Lamie.

“The defense is really the backbone of the team,” Lamie said. “Our setter, Kayla Palmer, is like the bridge between our defense and offense. Once our offense gets going and they get in a rhythm, it’s really difficult to slow down, and serving consistency really helps that a lot. With our play, the team that’s gonna make less errors is gonna win.”

Lamie has a more experienced team at her disposal this time around. The Bobcats graduated only three players from last season, and this year’s squad is solely made up of upperclassmen.

“I really think that the girls have a lot more confidence this year,” Lamie said. “Last year, we were very young. This basically is the same team that we had last year. The seniors really stepped up into the role as a leader, while the juniors really have worked hard offseason to become even better, stronger players.”

One senior that has risen to the occasion is Tennessee Gooch. The outside hitter has put on a clinic all season, but she truly shined during their sectional run where she racked up 59 total kills, including 18 in the final. Gooch one-upped herself in the regionals with a team-high 20 kills.

“She has matured so much,” Lamie said. “[She did] a lot of work outside of the season to prepare for this … season. She and Elizabeth Shaw consistently go to the gym when they’re not at practice or when they’re not in volleyball season. They go to summer camp, and they try to play as much volleyball as they can when they get the opportunity outside of the season. Tennessee has grown as a player so much. Just last year, we switched her position halfway through the year, and she definitely has found home as being a right-side hitter.”

Opposite of her in the front line is team captain Kayla Palmer. The reigning IAC North Large Division MVP and Second Team All-State selection does a little bit of everything for the Bobcats, from setting up her teammates to serving up aces. Palmer can also finish off attacks, as shown by her eight kills against Skaneateles.

“The setter is the volleyball quarterback, and she runs the court,” Lamie said. “She works hard so that way her players can work hard. We get to swing on balls that would normally be a free ball for other teams. She really works hard to get that second ball. She had her 1,000th assist this year as a junior and she’s really just unstoppable. She knows volleyball, loves volleyball, plays all year round at a very high level. She works hard for her team, but she expects her team to work hard also.”

While Gooch and Palmer are one of the top duos in Section IV, the Bobcats are far from a two-player team. Both are supported by a strong defense composed of Elizabeth Shaw, Emma Best and libero Jolene Gunther. Lansing’s attacking prowess and defensive resiliency have combined to produce a 24-0 record and just four sets dropped out of 109.

Despite a nearly flawless season, it hasn’t always been easy. The Bobcats have battled through some injuries and sickness along the way and at times have pulled off remarkable comebacks, most notably in sectional pool play against Oneonta where they were down 17-8 and surged back to win that set and the following one.

The Bobcats’ pursuit of their first-ever state title continues into this weekend, as they open up pool play on Nov. 19 in Glen Falls. While this season’s squad is full of talent, experience and confidence, Lamie believes the team’s synergy is their strongest aspect. In pool play, Lansing will play two sets against three other teams. The two teams with the best record will advance to the final.

“These players are best friends,” Lamie said. “They eat lunch together every day. They spend time outside of school and practice together. The chemistry of this team is unlike anything that I’ve had in the past for my team. They have so much fun together, but they all take volleyball very seriously. When they’re together for volleyball, they work hard and hold each other accountable. The growth from last year to this year among the players has been substantial, and they’ve been working so hard all season long.”

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