Bishop Miege seniors go for Kansas 5A volleyball sweep

For more than three decades now, Gwenn Pike has been bringing her volleyball I.Q. and discipline to the court at Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.).

Stag teams past, present, and most likely future, have been known to be intelligent yet overwhelming in the way they play the game. Pike needed just one word to describe her volleyball program.

"Intense," she said. "We are relentless in our pursuit of the ball offensively and defensively. When you step on the court here, you are here to play and work hard for your teammates. We don't want our players waiting for coach to tell them what to do. We expect them to think for themselves, to be prepared to play in practice and in games."

For Kentucky recruit Shelby Workman, a three-time Kansas Volleyball Association first team All-State selection, playing for Pike and representing the Stags on the court is considered an honor.



"We know what is expected of us when we come into this program," Workman said. "We know we have to work hard in order to represent Miege volleyball. I've been here four years and it is a big accomplishment for me. I know the girls in the gym are working hard every day and we just love being together."

Following Tuesday's sweep of Blue Valley Northwest and Blue Valley Southwest, Bishop Miege ran its match win total to 1,056 in 31-plus seasons under Pike's watch. The Stags have also accumulated 17 state titles to go along with Pike's .841 winning percentage.

This year's 10-1 squad appears to be of that same state championship caliber despite falling to St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.) 29-27, 25-21 in the championship match of the Mo-Kan Volleyball Tournament held at Lee's Summit West (Mo.) last weekend.

"I think we have to work really hard on defense," Workman said. "We're a smaller team this year, so when we go up against a bigger team, defensively, I think that's going to win games for us. As will staying together and keeping up our intensity."

Although the Stags suffered their first loss of the season Saturday, Bishop Miege remained No. 1 in Tuesday's KVA Class 5A state volleyball rankings. The three-time defending state champions did drop eight spots to No. 12 in the latest MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Volleyball Rankings, just behind St. James, which moved up three spots to 11th.

In all, five 2010 starters return for Pike this fall. Workman, last season's Eastern Kansas League Most Valuable Player, was selected to the Class 5A State Volleyball Tournament All-Tournament Team a year ago and swatted her way onto the Kansas City Star's All-Metro squad.



The 6-foot senior pounded 337 kills and dropped in 25 service aces a year ago. Workman was credited with 45 stuff blocks and 269 digs as well as overwhelming Stag opponents with her .334 hitting percentage, second on the team to middle hitter Jordan Tucker's .444 hitting efficiency.

The 6-1 Tucker, who joined Workman on the EKL's first-team squad, produced 262 kills, 112 stuff blocks and dug out 21 balls as a sophomore.

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{PAGEBREAK} Outside hitter Anna Church was named to the EKL's second team in 2010 and joined Workman on the State Volleyball Tournament's All-Tournament Team. The 5-7 senior was named to the KVA's second team all-state squad after drilling 287 kills a year ago. She hit at a .292 clip as a junior and contributed 288 digs, 30 stuff blocks and 28 service aces.

Senior Lindsay Zych dug out 387 balls a year ago. The 5-6 Libero was an honorable mention selection on the All-EKL squad in 2010. Kali Eaken returns at setter after earning honorable mention all-league honors. The 5-8 sophomore was credited with 18 service aces, 19 stuff blocks, 163 digs and 18 set assists.



The other two starting spots are being filled by 5-7 sophomore middle hitter Anisa Moore and 5-8 senior outside hitter Leah Starks. Pike's top newcomers are Becky Cazares and Aubrey Rumore, both 5-6 junior defensive specialists, and 5-9 senior setter Morgan Campanelli.

"I think we have a lot of heart," Workman said. "We have a good mix of young girls and experience. We have a lot of competitors on this team, aggressive and intense players, that love to play volleyball. This year we're really, really, really close and we're staying together. Everybody likes competing together and we all want to fight for each other so it's a good team atmosphere."

As is usually the case at Bishop Miege, Workman points to winning the state championship as the ultimate long-term goal of Pike's 32nd Stag squad. But at this point in the season, the defending EKL and Blue Valley North Stateline Showdown champions are hard at work trying to get a little better with each match they play.

As Bishop Miege takes the court this season, Workman hopes Stag opponents will have as much respect for her play and the play of her teammates as Bishop Miege will have for the team on the other side of the net.

"I'd hope they think of us as a team that never gives up," she said. "As a team that is going to go for every ball. And that the balls that they don't think we are going to get – we will pick them up. We're a team that will fight until the end."

Pike (1,056-199) prepares her Stag squads for the postseason by putting them through a grueling schedule. Besides battling the typical EKL slate, the Stags are preparing to compete in several highly competitive tournaments again this fall.



Last weekend the Stags went 5-1 at the Mo-Kan Tournament with wins over Missouri Class 4 third-ranked Blue Springs South (6-2) and Kansas Class 5A second-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.), which is 9-2.

Pike isn't interested in trading a loss or two for a softer schedule.

"It's hard, it's stressful and if you have injuries it's very difficult, so you have to hope for the best," Pike said. "If things don't go well you just have to pick it up. It's part of the game. It is nice not to play a strong schedule all of the time, but it is the way it is, so I don't dwell on it."

While some coaches talk about peaking at the right time, Pike is more concerned with Stag players competing at a high level at all times.

"I've never looked at it as peaking at the right time," she said. "I look at it as we can always be a better volleyball team the next time we step on the court. So in that respect you never reach that peak until it's all over, and when it's all over you want it to be in the championship game and come out victorious. That's when you can say, ‘Yup, we peaked at the right time.'"