This fall, St. Michael-Albertville (along with Buffalo) joined the powerful west suburban Lake Conference. And the Knights are determined to make their mark there.
On Tuesday, in our Top Game of the Week, the once-ranked Knights (8-4, 0-0) make their Lake debut by hosting Wayzata (10-1, 0-0), ranked No. 3 in the Class 3A coaches' poll from Sept. 8.
The desire to make a good first impression on the Lake, coupled with the memory of a surprising and painful loss to Rogers in last year's Class 3A, Section 5 quarterfinals gives the Knights plenty of motivation against Wayzata, which slipped a notch in the state poll following a 2-0 loss to No. 2-3A Northfield in the final of the Southwest Minnesota Challenge in Marshall on Sept. 7.
Senior outside hitter Mikayla Henderson, the team leader in kills with 136, said she and her teammates are excited for the challenge of playing in their new conference. Henderson, with setter Sophie Fritz and libero Megan Kruschke, give the Knights a strong senior core.
A tough five-set loss at St. Louis Park on Sept. 5 kicked off a rough stretch in which the Knights lost four of six matches. But they enter Tuesday's matchup coming off a 3-0 victory over No. 8-3A Moorhead on Sept. 12.
Wayzata, after losing just two sets in its first nine matches, has lost three sets in its last two.
Elizabeth Helmich (96 kills), Olivia Johnson (337 set assists), Sophie Jesewitz (26 aces, 60 digs) and Ella Voegele (80 digs) lead the Trojans.