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December 10, 2012

Wait leads Eagle-Tribune All-Star volleyball team

The Eagle-Tribune

LAUREN GIBSON

Outside Hitter, Andover Senior

All-MVC in her first year as a starter. Made 15-player Mass. Volleyball Coaches Association Division 1 All-State team. Explosive, athletic hitter with 159 kills and 27 blocks for 23-1 Andover. 5-foot-7. Powerful serve, added 24 aces for North sectional champs. Overcame shoulder surgery as a sophomore. Moved from Texas in 2006. Volunteers at Andover’s Sanborn School. Looking at Northeastern, Union, St. Michael’s and Fairfield.

MICHELLE BOUCHARD

Libero, Central Catholic Senior

MVC Division 1 co-MVP. Repeat Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Tri-captain. All over the floor with impressive 368 digs. Served at 89 percent. Added 24 assists and 16 kills. Dominated team’s state tourney win over Peabody with 24 digs. Had 37 digs in near upset of Andover. “She led by example,” said coach Gannon Paris. 5-foot-4. National Honor Society member. MVC All-Star as a sophomore. Andover resident.

ALEX ITASAKA

Libero, Haverhill Senior

MVC Division 2 MVP. Repeat Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Made 15-player Mass. Volleyball Coaches Association Division 1 All-State team. Stellar 98.2 serving percentage with 39 aces, 535 passes and 243 digs for 15-5 Hillies. Just 5-feet tall. “Made the seemingly impossible play routine,” said coach Bill Kaste. MVC All-Star as a sophomore. Ranked 18th in class of 360. As a 6th grader, donated 18 inches of her hair to Locks of Love.

ERIN COX

Setter, North Andover Junior

All-CAL as sophomore and All-MVC this year. Repeat Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Totalled 576 of team’s 1,195 assists. Added 21 blocks and 65 aces. 5-foot-8. “Carried the offense to the Division 1 North title game. Walked into starting lineup as a freshman and led us to the tourney three straight years,” said coach Veronica Schaefer. Runner-up at New England Junior Tour event last summer at Hampton Beach.

MICAELA DONATIO

Middle Hitter, North Andover Senior

Emerged as a force at net. All-MVC. Ripped off 204 kills with 66 blocks. Averaged nine kills and four blocks in three state tourney wins. Had 18 kills in regular season match with Andover. Elected co-captain even though this was her first year as a starter. “Perfect example of hard work paying off. Great leader. Stronger role model,” said coach Veronica Schaefer. 6-footer. Danced for 12 years.

BRENNA McNALLY

Outside Hitter, Pinkerton Senior

Just the ninth volleyball player in 25 years named a three-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Set school career marks for kills (792), digs (1,212) and aces (301). “I’ve been privileged to coach (her),” said Pinkerton’s Todd Royce. Her older sister was an Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Ranked 20th in class of about 700. Scored 1,930 on the SATs. Looking at Otterbein and Delaware Valley. Eagle-Tribune All-Star in tennis.

RACHEL MORRISSEY

Libero, Salem Senior

All-Division 1. Served 219 points with 73 aces for 21-1 Division 1 state champs. Notched 453 digs. Three-year starter. Team co-MVP. Tri-captain. Dominated Goffstown in state title match with 26 digs. “The best libero in the state. Our leader on and off the court,” said coach John Roemer. Salem’s Girl Athlete of the Fall. Ranked in top 10 percent of her class. Two-year starter on powerhouse softball team.

KELSEY CARD

Setter, Salem Senior

Granite State Senior All-Star. Tri-captain. Co-MVP for Division 1 state champs. Team leader with 582 assists, a whopping 145 coming in the four playoff victories. Had career-high 43 assists in title match. Added 189 service points with 58 aces on the season. 5-foot-8. Two-year starter, three-year letterman. “Spread the offense around, getting every hitter we have involved,” said coach John Roemer.

BRIANNA WOJTAS

Middle Hitter, Salem Senior

Finished with 197 service points, 69 aces, 34 blocks and 130 kills. Dominated playoffs up front with 24 kills and 14 big blocks for Division 1 state champs. “So clutch. Had all the big kills and blocks when we most needed them,” said coach John Roemer. Had eight aces vs. Winnacunnet. Returned to starting lineup after missing sophomore season with devastating ACL injury. Tri-captain. Coaches’ Award winner.

MIKKI TAFFE

Middle Hitter, Timberlane Senior

Three-year starter. Two-year captain. Averaged team-high eight blocks per match. A dominating 6-footer. “She’s a dynamic kid. She created offense for us when it simply wasn’t there with her power,” said coach Sean Hogan. First-team all-Division 1 selection. National Honor Society. Has high jumped 5-2. Hopes to play volleyball in college. Her sister is an equestrian at Colby-Sawyer.

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