PREP VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: Players to watch

Published 12:01 am Sunday, September 4, 2011

Hannah Linsenmayer

Archbishop Murphy | senior | libero

Linsenmayer was First-team All-State for Archbishop Murphy in 2009 when they finished second at the Class 2A state championships and she followed that up by winning the MVP of the Cascade Conference in 2010, rare for a libero. Wildcats head coach Jeff Curtis is going into his third season as head coach and one of the staples of each of his team’s has been Linsenmayer. In the past two seasons, Linesenmayer has amassed 849 digs, an average of 13.27 digs per match, and 125 kills with a .295 hitting percentage. All but 10 of those kills have come from the libero position. “What stats do not describe is Hannah’s will and desire to work hard every day in practice and make her teammates better,” Curtis said. “I have been a very lucky person, for Hannah is a special person who just knows what to do. She makes everyone around her better, even her coach.”

Kendal Munoz

Monroe | senior | setter/hitter

Munoz is a two-time First-Team All-Wesco honoree, First-Team All-Area award winner and is going into her fourth year as a varsity starter. She has been competing at the club level for several years and has been a part of five teams that have qualified to play in the USA Volleyball Junior National Championships. Munoz’s strengths include experience as a setter and her ability to run the offense, while maintaining composure in clutch situations her coach April Munoz says. “She is like a coach on the floor and is able to direct players as needed,” Coach Munoz said. Her footwork and strength allow her to deliver hittable sets in situations where most setters wouldn’t be able to. In addition to setting, Coach Munoz will look to Kendal to be one of the team’s top hitters this year as well providing leadership to help the team be successful.

Emmy Allen

Jackson | junior | outside hitter

Allen was a First-Team All-Wesco selection a year ago and will be one of the leaders on the defending Class 4A state champions this year. Allen led the team in kills a year ago and head coach Ashley Allen will look for Emmy to be a leader on this year’s team. “She has been training really hard,” Coach Allen said. “She’s been working out and lifting. She is going to come back a lot stronger, a lot faster, with a lot more endurance. Not only is Ashley Emmy’s coach, she is also her older sister, but the dynamic works well. “I forget that she’s my sister and she forgets that I’m her sister,” Coach Allen said. “We have gotten really good at dividing home and school. Being Emmy’s sister, Ashley knows Emmy’s game pretty well, which only gives them an advantage. “I know her tendencies pretty well,” Ashley said. “Could I scout her out pretty well? Yeah – luckily she is on my team.”

Haley MacDonald

Jackson | junior | setter

Like Allen, MacDonald has been on Jackson’s varsity roster since she was a freshman. Head coach Ashley Allen said that the she is always looking for leadership in the setting position and that MacDonald provides that. According to Allen, her decision making and game strategy have improved since the Timberwolves triumph at state a year ago through work with her club team. MacDonald was named First-Team All-Wesco and First-Team All-Tournament at the Class 4A state championships a year ago. The Timberwolves lost last year’s state tournament MVP Leigh-Ann Haataja to graduation, but outside hitter Emmy Allen and MacDonald should help the team be tough competitors in Wesco again this season.

Lanesha Reagan

Snohomish | sophompre | outside hitter

Reagan returns for her sophomore season at Snohomish after being named First-Team All-Wesco and Second-Team All-Area in 2010. Reagan had 179 kills as a freshman, averaging 13 kills per match, helping lead the Panthers to a fifth place finish at the Class 4A state tournament. She has played volleyball since she was in fourth grade and has played club volleyball every year since sixth grade. First year Snohomish head coach Alex Tarin is looking forward to coaching Reagan this year and excited to see what she can accomplish as a sophomore.

Aaron Lommers, Herald Writer