L'Anse Creuse beats Lake Shore in straight sets
The Lancers advanced to the district semifinals with a 3-0 victory over the Shorians on Monday night.
By Alina Campbell ·
Harrison Township L'Anse Creuse defeated St. Clair Shores Lake Shore 25-14, 25-9, and 25-14 on Monday in a Division 1 pre-district match at Macomb Dakota. The Lancers finished the match in under an hour, never trailing at any point in the first set and building a decisive lead in the other two.
Grace Cairo, a veteran setter for the Lancers, recorded 13 assists and two aces in the win. Megan Godin and Sophie Newcomb each registered eight kills, while Gabbie Voracek contributed seven kills. Lauren Bellisario led the defensive effort for the back row. Cairo described the team's approach as centered on high energy, stating that is when they play their best and have the most fun.
The Lancers entered the game with a record of 16-9-1. Coach Megan Haas noted that energy has been the team's defining characteristic all season. She stated that when the team lacks that energy, they struggle, but it has been their staple. Haas also pointed out that Cairo is approaching a career milestone of 1,000 assists.
Lake Shore finished a rebuilding season with a 6-14-1 overall record. The Shorians managed only 29 total points across the three sets. No player on the Lake Shore roster recorded more than three kills. Madison Hayward led the Shorians with two aces, and Izzy Bennett added two service points.
The first set saw L'Anse Creuse establish a quick 10-2 lead before Brooklyn Anderson closed the game with back-to-back service points. In the second set, the Lancers turned a 7-4 advantage into a 19-7 lead, ending the set with a 6-2 run. The third set saw L'Anse Creuse build a 7-0 lead, which expanded to 14-6. Lake Shore narrowed the gap to 14-9 before the Lancers closed the match with an 11-5 run.
Haas acknowledged that the teams had played the previous week. She said she did not know they would meet in the districts when scheduling the game, but felt the Lancers performed much better in this matchup. She credited the entire team for playing well, which was the desired outcome.
L'Anse Creuse is scheduled to face host Dakota in the district semifinals at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The first semifinal between Fraser and Macomb L'Anse Creuse North begins at 5 p.m. Cairo noted that Dakota swept the Lancers in the district opener last year and that her team has not beaten them since her arrival. She expressed hope that the team will play better in the upcoming contest.
