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Sports

Knights' Volleyball Squad Lays Groundwork For Success

Oak Creek's young team will look to compete while learning to play together.

Oak Creek girls volleyball head coach Karen Lois has a young and relatively inexperienced team entering the 2011 season, but she has high expectations for the girls to progress quickly as a team.

Replacing All-Southeast Conference performers Lauren Moshea (second team) and Jenna Crayton and Sarah Wishau (honorable mention) won't be easy for Lois and the Knights, but captains Maggie Wilke and Cora Schlei will be looked at to carry the load.

"Our team is going to be very raw this year," Lois said. "I've been tough on the girls (in practices), but I think it makes them better players and gives them a foundation for the season."

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The Lady Knights had a great opportunity to earn match experience last weekend as they started their season with the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Open.

After dropping the first match in straight sets to Tomahawk (24-26, 19-25), the Knights bounced back with consecutive victories, defeating Seymour in three sets and sweeping Mount Horeb (25-17, 25-18).

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 couldn't keep the momentum rolling, losing to Brookfield East (16-25, 25-21, 12-15), Appleton North (25-21, 21-25, 5-15) and Burlington Catholic Central (18-25, 19-25).

The girls took a 2-4 record into conference play, where things are not expected to get any easier. The conference features many perennially-tough teams, including Muskego, ranked third in the state preseason poll.

"The Southeast Conference is going to be tough for us this year," Lois said. "All the games are going to be big for us because we are such a raw team."

In addition to the captains, Lois pointed out returners Alayna Quinn, Aliina Klatt and Katie Finn and newcomer Quincey Anderson as key contributors for the Knights.

"We are looking to improve on communication and building a base we can grow on the next few years," Lois said.

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