By Teddy Rydquist
Leader Staff Writer
Placed in Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) District 5, which was hosted by Holly High School, the Oxford Wildcats volleyball team began postseason play on November 4.
Battling the Lake Orion Dragons, a fellow Oakland Activities Association (OAA) Red Division member, the Wildcats were defeated, 3-0.
Oxford had received a bye in the quarterfinals, while Lake Orion topped the Waterford Mott Corsairs to advance.
The night began with a 25-22 first set, but things began to go south with a 25-8 second set. The Wildcats picked it back up in the third set, 25-23, but it was not quite enough to live to see another frame.
Despite the disappointment of the season concluding, Oxford ended their campaign with a 21-10 record and posted a 51-28 mark in their 79 completed sets. The Wildcats also made an appearance in the Week 8 Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association Rankings on October 28, slotting in as the ninth-best Division 1 team in the state.
As for the rest of the District 5 action, the Clarkston Wolves beat the host Bronchos, 3-0, in the other semifinal and dispatched the Dragons, 3-1, in the finals to move on to regional play, which began November 10, against the District 7 champion Troy Colts at Stoney Creek High School.
This marked the end of their high school volleyball career for seven Oxford seniors, Julia Blair, Gabby Comito, Cat Dobies, Emma LaBarge, Meghan Lupu, Molly Miller, and Brooke Zeiter.
Two of these young women, LaBarge and Miller, will be continuing their student-athlete careers at the collegiate level, committing to play for Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and Madonna University in Livonia, respectively.
Looking ahead to 2021, the Wildcats project to return nine players from this year’s roster: Juniors Raegan Bell, Kealey Kolp, Baylee Proctor and Ava Wiscombe, and sophomores Margaret Feltz, Paityn Hasselbring, Ashley Horne, Rachel Townsend, and Carleigh Turek.