Lac qui Parle Valley Eagles

Lac qui Parle Valley outside hitter Tori Bungarden aims for a kill during a Camden Conference match against Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg on Oct. 1, 2019 from KMS High School. Patrick Bernadeau / West Central Tribune

Eagles hope experience equals more wins

Lac qui Parle Valley has 10 letterwinners back for 2021

BY JOE BROWN | West Central Tribune

MADISON — Off the heels of a 2-7 record in 2020, Lac qui Parle Valley hopes an experienced crop of players can bring the Eagles up in the Camden

Conference standings this fall. A total of 10 players return to the fray for LQPV, including seniors Tori Bungarden, Addy Bonn and Rylee Sawatzky.

“We have quite a bit of experience this year having four seniors, and three of them have had varsity experience,” said Eagles head coach Molly Hennen, who enters her fourth season. “It will be a fun season. I am looking forward to it. Hope we can keep improving throughout the season.”

Bungarden and Bonn are outside hitters. In 2020, Bungarden led the Eagles with 97 kills to go with 80 digs and eight blocks. Sawatzky will also be at the net as a middle hitter.

A pair of junior starters return in setter Ayanna Gibson and middle hitter Paige Meyer. Making the switch to setter toward the end of last season, Gibson tallied 125 set assists and 63 digs. Meyer had 41 kills and 11 blocks.

Also in the rotation for the Eagles are juniors Tayler Kittelson (right-side hitter/setter) and Sheridan Busse (outside hitter). Sophomores Isabel Gerdes (libero) and Lexi Wollschlager (outside hitter) figure to be in the mix.

The Eagles will have to overcome an off-season injury to junior Rylee Lund. An outside hitter/right-side hitter, Lund will miss the season after suffering a knee injury during a summer basketball tournament.

LQPV will head to Benson for a nonconference match to kick off the season on Aug. 26.