LAKER WOMEN #7 SEED IN NATIONAL TOURNEY

The Laker Women’s Volleyball Team catches a flight out of Omaha Tuesday morning and travels to Arizona to play in the national tournament this week.

Coach Scott Tschetter (pronounced Cheddar) takes the women and their 37-11 record to the nationals for the second time in the last three years.

“The team has had a good season,” said Tschetter of the #7 seeded Laker women. “Hopefully we can maintain the level of play that we’ve been at the past month.”

The women begin play at noon as the third match-up of the day on Thursday when they play #10 seed Des Moines Area Community College. Earlier in the season, the women beat DMACC at the Kirkwood tourney and also at the ICCAC Crossover tourney.

The Laker women are ranked 6th in the nation. Currently, four Laker Women are listed in the top 25 in national statistics. Arah Kleinschmidt is 11th in the nation in assists per game averaging 11.129 assists per game. Aurialis Camareno is listed as 12th in the country with an average .820 aces per game. Jenna Tammel follows her in 20th place with .741 aces per game. In kills per game, Liz Miller is in 24th place in the nation with 3.899 kills per game. In addition, both Erin Jacobsen and Alison Albers are ranked in the top 50 in blocks per game.

The Laker squad features four sophomores and nine freshmen. Sophomore team members include: Chelsea Hill, a 5’9” setter/libero from Fountain Hills, Ariz.; Arah Kleinschmidt, a 5’9” setter/defensive specialist from Pine Island, Minn.; Jenna Tammel, a 6’0” outside hitter from Spring Valley, Minn.; and Liz Miller, a 5’10” outside hitter from St. Charles, Minn.

Freshmen team members are: Mindy Meyer, a 5’5” setter/defensive specialist from Fenton; Teegan Hunziker, a 5’8” outside hitter from Milford; Alison Albers, a 5’11” middle hitter from Goodhue, Minn.; Martha Stover, a 5’6” setter/defensive specialist from Fort Dodge; Melissa Dorale, a 5’8” libero from Mitchell, S.D.; Caitlyn Moore, a 5’9” outside hitter from Lake Mills; Erin Jacobsen, a 6’1” middle hitter from Virginia, Minn.; Jennifer Perez, a 5’6” defensive specialist from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; and Aurialis Camareno, a 5’4” defensive specialist from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

Starters include: Kleinschmidt, Tammel, Miller, Hill, Jacobsen, Hunziker and Camareno.

After their arrival in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Laker women will spend time becoming acquainted with their new surroundings. There is also a banquet for players on Wednesday evening prior to the opening of the competition.

Members of the Laker Women’s Volleyball Team from left to right: (back row) Jennifer Perez, Caitlyn Moore, Liz Miller, Jenna Tammel, Alison Albers, Aurials Camareno (middle) Mindy Meyer, Arah Kleinschmidt, Martha Stover, Teegan Hunziker (front) Chelsea Hill and Melissa Dorale.