Girls volleyball team makes state with just seven players

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Grit, it's the team's motto. And the Lakers embodied it this season, defying all the odds with a roster of only seven players, including two middle schoolers.  

The Lakers finished the season 37-4. While they fell to Everest Collegiate in the finals, the team left their mark on Division Four Volleyball.  

That mark included the team receiving a lot of accolades including the entire team earning All-State Academic Honors, with all five seniors receiving individual All-State Academic recognition. 

The players ranked within the top 25 statewide in multiple statistical categories, including kills, aces, assists, and digs.

"We stood by our steadfast motto which is grit. These girls showed a lot of grit and I'm just incredibly proud of how they were able to not just compete but push through every single day. Just setting records and having a lot of fun, I think, is also a key. We have a lot of fun together," Lakers Volleyball Head Coach Erin Cashen said. 

Cashen says with five players graduating, she is already looking at the seventh graders to recruit for next season, and says she is looking forward to a brand-new era of Laker volleyball.