BATTLE CREEK — When you're striving for success, you need a little bit of talent to help get you there.
You also need upperclassmen who lead by example.
During the Inland Lakes volleyball team's thrilling run to the Division 4 state championship game, it had both.
The Bulldogs featured a group of seniors who led admirably and will likely leave a lasting legacy on the program for years to come.
Inland Lakes' four seniors — Alyssa Byrne, Olivia Monthei, Emily Van Daele and Megan Vigneau — all made their mark during their time in what's become a top-notch program under head coach Nicole Moore.
On the court, Moore has recognized how valuable all four have been for her team.
Off the court, it's the exact same thing — and she's just as proud of them for that.
"The limit does not exist — those four are good people all the way around," said Moore. "They're all 4.0 (GPA) students, they're in everything you can imagine at school. They took a lot off my plate. I would give them tasks, I would ask their opinions, I would ask for their help, and they were able to step up and lead the team, and that's as a group and individually. They all had different strengths, obviously, and I could rely on any of them at any point to kind of take over whatever I needed. I think their leadership and their skills off the court are the most impressive part about them, and their volleyball skills of course."
During Inland Lakes' sensational postseason run, Byrne provided the crisp passing to set up dangerous attacking hitters like Monthei and Van Daele, while Vigneau also made strong contributions whenever she was called upon.
The leadership of the Bulldog seniors certainly rubbed off on other members of the team, like junior libero Ryann Clancy, who has played together with the group for several years now.
"It's crazy, Natalie (Wandrie) and I have been playing with them (seniors) since sixth grade," Clancy said. "Natalie and I, we have enjoyed them so much. They are all so full of energy. They are people that I have been able to rely on. In games, if I'm down, I look at them and I'm like, 'This is for them. This is their last year.' They are encouraging, they really bring the whole team together.
"This season was for them, and I'm glad we could give them a good way to go out."
Byrne, a standout all season for the Bulldogs, knows the kind of impact she and her senior teammates have made in the Inland Lakes program.
"Like our parents said to us, and our coaches — the little girls that have come to practice with us — they're going to look up to us and they're going to want to be like us and make it to the state championship," Byrne said. "I think that's definitely something that people will remember about our senior class."
The four Bulldogs exit the program with three district title wins, a first regional title since 1995, a first-ever trip to Battle Creek, and a first state runner-up honor.
Not a bad way to go out, by any means.
"Their legacy, they're very aware of that," Moore said. "The last team that went to regionals, a few of those players are on our staff and they were like, 'I was that class that did that,' and (our seniors) understand that they're going to be that person that took us all the way to states."
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Inland Lakes volleyball seniors leave lasting legacy
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