Photo by Samantha Davis: The 2025 Lakeview volleyball varsity team includes Jersey Stensrud, Teegan Fiene, Aubrey Pederson, Nicole Schwartz, Jaela Schmidt, Kiara Hinz, Aubrey Nething, Taylor Hinz, Avery Hinz, Khya Gawarecki, Laia Javens, Addison Hinz and Allison Isaacs.

COTTONWOOD — Hungry to make a deeper playoff run led by three seniors and a large group of returners, the Lakeview volleyball team believes its team chemistry will play a pivotal role this season.

The Lakers have finished the previous two seasons 11-15 overall, and last year were eliminated by the eventual Section 3A champions and Class A state runner-up, Minneota, in the subsection quarterfinals in three sets.

“Obviously, the goal is to improve that and try to get more than .500, and it’s totally manageable. They look really good,” Lakeview head coach Alexis Lienemann said. “They’ve been super committed this summer … They all come in with a smile, and just so excited.”

Lakeview graduated a core of five seniors, including four-year setter Aubreigh Rausch, but returns a group of eight players with a few new additions, and will be led by a trio of seniors this year in Aubrey Nething, Teegan Fiene and Kiara Hinz.

“Everybody works so well together this year,” Hinz said. “People are stepping up to those [new] positions and taking them on very well.”

While the team will feel the loss of the seniors and work to replace the positions, Lienemann said that summer camp went well and the group is looking cohesive, and that she feels immensely confident in her lineup. She also noted that Nething, Fiene and Hinz have taken on their new leadership roles quickly and seriously.

In last year’s section tournament, the Lakers earned the No. 8 seed and had to face No. 9 Yellow Medicine East in the play-in round before facing Minneota, which they won in three sets.

“We want to get further, like get past the first round [of the section tournament], maybe even get a bye in that first playoff game. That would be so huge … I think if they continue to work as hard as they’re working, they’re going to get there,” Lienemann said. “We are still the underdogs … You have to outshine what you did last year. You can see that they want it, and they’re super motivated.”

Rausch, who reached her 1,000th career set assist last season on Sept. 3, has been Lakeview’s primary playmaker in recent years. Moving forward, sophomore newcomers to the varsity squad Khya Gawarecki and Nicole Schwartz are projected to be the team’s setters.

“They both have gone through this whole mindset shift to like not being the timid underclassmen,” Lienemann said of Gawarecki and Schwartz looking to step up. “This is where that cohesiveness comes in. Anyone can go anywhere … Everyone is so valuable.”

Lakeview will look to find more consistency this season, coming off an up-and-down 2024 campaign with scattered wins.

“I think everyone’s really pushing for their spot, and I think we’re going to be really competitive,” junior captain Jersey Stensrud said. “We all flow really well together.”

Stensrud will also be returning as a defensive specialist this year in the back row. She is joined by Hinz, Nething, Fiene and Taylor Hinz as this year’s captains.

“I just always feel like helping, especially with the younger kids, in just making everyone seem like one team and not separated,” Stensrud said regarding how she plans to continue in a leadership role.

“For me personally, I go by voice and showing people,” Kiara Hinz added about how she wants to leave an impact in her senior year. “I think that will help, just being loud on the court, helping other people figure out where to go … Especially since we are so young this year. We have a lot of [sophomores].”

Lienemann, among the area’s youngest head coaches after recently turning 24, will be embarking on her second season leading the program. She’s a 2019 Lakeview graduate and was a starting libero for three seasons during her time.

“That first year [coaching] is so intimidating … I think going into my second year, I know what’s going on. I know what to expect in the aspect of game days, rules and expectations,” Lienemann said. “I’m just super excited to feel more confident.”

All players on the varsity roster are starting the season healthy with no significant injuries, according to Lienemann.

When it comes to setting a tone for the year early on, Lienemann noted that she’s noticed the team’s stamina looks stronger through the early parts of preseason, whereas she felt the team would get tired toward the final sets of last year’s matches.

The Lakers will open the season on a three-game road trip, starting next Tuesday at Wabasso at 7:15 p.m. After two more matches against Russell-Tyler-Ruthton on Aug. 28 and at Murray County Central on Sept. 2, Lakeview’s home opener is slated for Sept. 4 when it hosts Edgerton at 7:15 p.m.

“I just always want them to know, whether they’re playing or whether they’re on the bench, that they’re so important, and they’re all going to do great things outside of here,” Lienemann said. “When it comes to game days, I can’t wait. It’s going to be so fun.”