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Trio leads Dawson
Published November 3, 2009
In their third year of existence and second as a varsity program, the Pearland Lady Dawson Eagles volleyball team already has made it through to the playoffs.
Dawson (25-19) notched the third-place position in District 24-4A to advance to face El Campo today in the Class 4A bi-district round.
And the Lady Eagles still are quite young, losing only seniors Mary Johnston and Emily Malloy, with the rest expected to return next year.
Three of those coming back are juniors Danielle Sullivan, Katie Haynie and Camryn Kazmierski.
“These three have made a huge impact by bringing three strong aspects of the game that are crucial in winning,” Pearland Dawson coach Lori Mclaughlin said. “Camryn is a go-to girl that we can expect to be a threat wherever she is hitting.
“Katie is versatile as a setter in moving the ball around to give all of our attackers
opportunities to put the ball down and also one that can keep the team fired up with her intensity and court presence. Danielle is a huge contributor by keeping the ball in play at all costs. She also is very good about reading the attackers and making quick adjustments in her defense. Those three together, along with their other teammates’ contributions, make a great balance overall.”
In her third year of playing libero, Sullivan had 347 digs and 21 aces. Once a front-line player, Sullivan was switched to the back much to her initial reluctance.
“At first, I was kind of worried because I had played front row since I started playing volleyball,” Sullivan said. “But after awhile I got comfortable, and I just wanted to do whatever it took for us to get wins.”
At 5-foot-3, Sullivan is quick in the back row and has come up with some big digs from some big hitters.
“I basically try to figure out where to line up by hand or arm of my opponent or their body movements,” Sullivan said. “I do get hit hard, but after matches I ice my wrists up or wrap them and try to take care of them.”
She stays busy even in the offseason by playing for Absolute Volleyball Academy’s 18 Attack club team.
The Lady Eagles earned a big warmup win Friday when they beat Katy Seven Lakes in three straight games. Sullivan believes that is going to help them today.
“Some said it was the best we’d played all year,” Sullivan said. “I’ve heard that El Campo is a scrappy team, and will fight for every game. That is what we must do, just keep working and fighting for every point.”
Kazmierski, at 6 feet, has 259 kills, leading the team this season.
Playing since the seventh grade, Kazmierski always has been the tallest of her teammates.
“Every team has a weakness and we try to look for it during the course of the match,” she said. “There seems to be a lot of teams that are weak in the middle, and that is where I like going. I know this El Campo team likes going after everything, so we can’t relax.”
Besides playing on the outside, Kazmierski also will take time up in the middle.
“I have continued to work on my blocking and vertical,” Kazmierski said. “But I think we are ready and have gotten comfortable with each other. It is going to be important to stay calm and be consistent.”
Haynie is the center point of the Lady Eagles’ attack as the setter. This season, the 5-foot-9 player leads the team in assists with 506, is tied for fourth in kills with 127 and is third in digs with 108.
“We wanted to go to the playoffs last year, but this year we made the cut,” Haynie said. “I think last year we had to get used to our coach’s new routine, but in the offseason she worked us a lot harder and I think that was our biggest improvement coming in, our conditioning.”
Playing the position since she was 11, Haynie has picked up a few things here and there.
“I try to mix it up during a match,” Haynie said. “According to what the blockers are going to do, I try to trick them when I prepare to set the ball.
“I know El Campo plays rotational defense so that means the middle of the court is going to be open,” she said. “I just hope that we play the way we played on Friday.”
Haynie, Kazmierski and Sullivan all are part of tradition now at Dawson because they have set the standard for other teams to follow.
“It is really exciting to be part of a team that is the first to do this,” Haynie said of making the playoffs. “We are pumped up and hopefully we can keep it going.”
Dawson and El Campo play at 5:30 p.m. at Mercer Fieldhouse in Sugar Land.
Joel Luna is the sports editor for The Facts. Contact him at 979-237-0160.
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