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Since winning its last Greater Miami Conference title in 2008 and graduating seven seniors, members of the Lakota East varsity girls’ volleyball squad and others in the conference have considered the Thunderhawks to be underdogs because of their youth.

However, that youthful group, which finished with a combined 36-14 record the past two seasons, is all grown up.

This year’s squad returns 11 student athletes, who were on the 2010 team, which advanced all the way to the final 16 in the state tournament last November.

“We have always been the underdog because we have always been told that we are too young,” senior setter Hannah Berling said. “We have a huge junior and senior class, but when we were freshmen and sophomores we were the babies, but now we won’t have that excuse anymore.”

>>>PHOTOS OF LAKOTA EAST’S FIRST SUMMER PRACTICE<<<

Berling, who led the Thunderhawks and was sixth in the GMC in assists in 2010 with 519, is among six seniors who will be featured on the 2011 varsity roster, according to second-year head coach Casie Garland. Other seniors, who were also on last year’s roster include Hannah Sigala, who is committed to play at Morehead State University, Lauren Beitel, Morgan Weinheimer and Emily Bostian.

Meanwhile, the junior class is led by Ali Lake (photo – click to enlarge), who is committed to Ohio University, and Ashley Evans, who is committed to Purdue University. (more…)

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Ali Lake, Ashley Evans, Casie Garland, Emily Bostian, Hannah Berling, Hannah Sigala, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Lakota East volleyball, Lauren Beitel, Morehead State, Morehead State University, Morehead State volleyball, Morgan Weinheimer, Ohio, Ohio University, Ohio University volleyball, Ohio volleyball, photo gallery, photos, Purdue, Purdue University, Purdue volleyball, volleyball, West Chester photos

Lakota East sophomore Ali Lake has announced that she has made a verbal commitment to play volleyball at Ohio University. She is the third volleyball player from Lakota East to make a commitment to a Division I program in April. Earlier this month, junior Hannah Sigala committed to Morehead State University and sophomore Ashley Evans committed to Purdue University.

This past fall, Lakota East finished in a two-way tie with Sycamore for second place in the Greater Miami Conference standings. The Thunderhawks finished the year with an 18-7 overall record and a 7-2 mark within the GMC.

Lake (photo), who is a 6-foot-1 middle hitter for the Thunderhawks, had 123 kills last season, according to the GMC website.

Sigala was named to the All-GMC Second Team after registering 97 kills in the fall.

Evans, who is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter at Lakota East, will be used as a setter at Purdue. This past fall, Evans was named to the All-GMC First Team and led her team with 228 kills.

“She is one of the most athletic and versatile player that we have on our team or even in the city,” Lakota East head coach Cassie Garland said of Evans. “She could probably play anywhere on the court.”

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Ali Lake, Ashley Evans, Casie Garland, Hannah Sigala, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Morehead State, Morehead State University, Ohio, Ohio University, Purdue, Purdue University, volleyball

Junior Hannah Sigala and sophomore Ashley Evans have recently committed to Division I volleyball programs, according to Lakota East head coach Casie Garland.

Sigala has committed to Morehead State University after seriously considering the University of Dayton.

“The second she went down to Morehead State, she just fell in love with it,” said Garland, who played her college ball at Morehead State. “I am just excited for her. I think it is a great fit.”

Sigala (photo – No. 5) was named to the All-GMC Second Team after registering 97 kills in the fall. Next season, the six-foot Sigala will be a senior for Lakota East, which will try to better its 18-7 overall and 7-2 Greater Miami Conference record in the fall of 2010.

“We are going to rely on her a lot,” Garland said. “She has so much potential and definitely belongs at the Division I level.”

Meanwhile, sophomore Ashley Evans (photo – No. 13) has already decided that she would like to attend Purdue University.

“I was a little surprised about her early commitment,” Garland said. “She had about every school looking at her – I have had contacts from Ohio State, Arkansas, LSU, Ohio University. She only went on two visits, to Purdue and Ohio State, and when she told me she had committed, I was shocked because she is so young, but when you know, you know.”

Evans, who is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter at Lakota East, will be used as a setter at Purdue. This past fall, Evans was named to the All-GMC First Team and led her team with 228 kills.

“She is one of the most athletic and versatile player that we have on our team or even in the city,” Garland said. “She could probably play anywhere on the court.”

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: Ashley Evans, Casie Garland, Hannah Sigala, Lakota East, Lakota East Sports, Morehead State, Morehead State University, Purdue, Purdue University, volleyball

Lakota West junior midfielder/forward Kim Love verbally accepted an offer to play soccer for Purdue University last week, according to the high school’s athletic department.

Love picked the Boilermakers and was also considering Dayton and Miami.

“When I went on a visit to the campus, I liked it so much that I knew it was where I wanted to go,” Love told westfirebirds.com. “They have a strong soccer program and they always do well in the tournament.”

Love is a three-year varsity player for the Firebirds and has started since midway through her freshman season. She was an All-GMC selection following her sophomore year and was voted as the team’s offensive most valuable player.

“We are thrilled for Kim. Purdue is a great fit for her athletically & academically, she will do great there. Kim is fully capable of being an impact player as a freshman,” Lakota West head coach Tara Schafer-Kalkhoff said. “It is also very exciting that she will get to play three years with fellow teammate Alex Azeez who will be a freshman at Purdue next fall.”

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: Alex Azeez, Kim Love, Lakota West, Purdue Boilermakers, Purdue University, Soccer