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Five La Grange Seniors Ready to Lead Volleyball Team

By Jeff Wick
“We want to have positive outcomes on and off the court.– Senior Elyse Glisson“I just hope we can keep everybody motivated and work as a team.”– Senior Alicia Tisdell“We want to win district and win a lot more games.”– Senior Maddi Fritz“I want to get closer to the new players, win district and go farther in the playoffs.”– Senior Camille Gonzalez“I want us to be competitive and play as one.”– Senior Hailey Hill

The Fayette County Record

The talent the La Grange volleyball team returns this season should be downright scaryfor the opposition.Among the returnees for the Lady Leps (who begin the regular season at home Tuesday at 5 p.m. against Weimar) are:

• The returning district overall MVP (Maddi Fritz)

• The returning district Offensive MVP (Camille Gonzalez) • The returning district Setterof the Year (Hailey Hill)

• The returning district Newcomer of the Year (Tori Harold) The La Grange volleyball team has won a share of the district title in each of the last two seasons (they were 21-26 overall but 11-2 in district last year) – and with the lineup they can put on the court this season, the Lady Leps’ expectations for 2022 certainly include anotherdistrict crown.“I’d be lying if I said my expectation wasn’t to repeat as district champion,” said La Grange head coach Leslie Coltrain, who begins her fifth year at the school this season. “And that’s exactly what the girls want to do too.”

But a district title three-peat will be even tougher as two new foes join the district this seasonin Taylor and Caldwell, replacing Austin LBJ and Austin Eastside.

After graduating six seniors last season, this year’s La Grange team includes five seniors. Elyse Glisson and Alicia Tisdell are varsity newcomers, while Fritz,Gonzalez and Hill own those aforementioned district superlative accolade winners. That trio of Fritz, Gonzalez and Hill are all being recruited by colleges.

For Gonzalez and Hill, this will be their third year on varsity.“We are definitely leaning on those three for leadership, but they are up to the task,” Coltrainsaid.Fritz, meanwhile, enters her fourth season on varsity and has already verbally accepted ascholarship offer to play for University of Louisiana-Lafayette after graduation.

“Maddi’s always been a great player,” Coltrain said. “She’s dynamic and has made a difference for us for four years now. I’m soextremely proud of her. She’s realizing a dream of playing college volleyball that she’s worked extremely hard for. Watching her in the gym this year, there’s an extra level of confidence to her play. She’s more vocal as a leader, and I think that stems from the confidence of getting that (college process) off her back. She’s worked really hard and now she’s reaping the rewards.”

In addition to the five seniors, the Lady Leps return three juniors who were on varsity last year (Harold, Jenna Jobb and Riley Youens).

Juniors who are varsity newcomers include Haylie Cooper, Mara Colon, Phoebe Tucker andMaddy Kates.And then two freshmen have also made the varsity squad, Carley Ulrich and Kylie Trlicek.

“Those two freshmen, they made it impossible not to give them a look at the varsity level,” Coltrain said. “Tryouts were extremely competitive, we had 42 girls come out. It was not an easy task picking teams thisyear.”“Fourteen players on varsity is as many as I’ve carried in a long time, but the competition in the gym every day on this team is going to be intense, and it’sgoing to be fun.”

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