Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

It was business as usual for the Forest Lake volleyball team, as the girls opened the 2007 season with victories over North Branch and Chisago Lakes.

The Rangers hosted North Branch on Tuesday, Aug. 28, and walked away with a relatively easy 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 win, but then had to go four games at Chisago Lakes before heading home with a 25-18, 23-35, 25-15, 25-15 victory on Thursday.

“We made mistakes,” Forest Lake head coach Sherri Alm said about the second game that went to the Wildcats. “They didn’t beat us — we weren’t talking very well.”

After the slip-up in game two, Alm was happy to see her group rebound and finish off Chisago Lakes with the matching 10-point differential.

Forest Lake served at 94 percent as a team, with senior Chelsie Sobieck going 10-for-10, while also leading the way with 20 kills and 22 digs.

“She played well,” Alm said. “She had a really nice game.”

Not far behind Sobieck was sophomore Lexi Alm, who despite nursing a sore right shoulder, ended up with 14 kills, 18 digs and four aces on the night.

Putting Sobieck and Lexi Alm in position for many of those kills was senior Megan McKenzie, who collected 40 setting assists, 18 digs and went 18-for-20 on serves. Coach Alm also complimented McKenzie’s play at the net, where she used great timing to get numerous touches on the ball.

Sophomore Betsy Kelly was solid at Libero and ended with a total of 16 digs while going 14-for-14 on serves.

Other bright spots came from the mean-serving of senior Britta Johnson, who picked up six aces, and senior Amanda Johnson, who came in for Jamie Bucholz.

“Amanda was ready to play,” coach Alm said. “She’s just got that great overall attitude.”

The North Branch contest to start the year was not as close as Chisago Lakes, as Forest Lake swept in three games.

With a fair amount of unforced errors on the North Branch side of the net, the individual numbers were not as impressive, but the team did serve at 97 percent.

Lexi Alm went a perfect 17-for-17, while Britta Johnson baffled the Vikings with her serves on the way to picking up 17 points and six aces.

With those first two matches out of the way, the volleyball schedule gets a little more difficult for the Rangers. They entertain Mora on Thursday evening, and then take part in the Shakopee Invite on Saturday, before traveling to Anoka on Monday, Sept. 10.

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