Pequot Lakes Volleyball Looks To “Break Down The Door” In 2019

The Pequot Lakes volleyball team is no stranger to success, as they’ve won at least 19 games in each of the past three seasons. However, in each of those past three seasons, the Patriots have also ended their season in the sectional semifinal game. Getting past that game is the focal point of the 2019 season.

“We talk about breaking down the door, we get to the same playoff game every year and don’t get past it, so I said, ‘which team is going to break down that door?'” said Pequot Lakes Volleyball Coach Chris Ganley.

Ranked ninth in the latest Minnesota 2A state volleyball rankings, the Patriots are talented enough to break down the door. However, in order to get over the hump this year, Pequot needs to be mentally tough.

“I’ve been at that door the past three years since I was a freshman and we all just want that next step, we want to be the team to break down that door,” said Pequot Lakes senior libero Mariah Rickard.

“It’s a mental game more than it is a physical game for us to break down the door because we’ve already beaten Pine River and Wadena, who we didn’t beat last year, which is a great way to start breaking down the door this year,” said Pequot Lakes senior right-side hitter Maddy Morrison.

The Patriots will worry about breaking down the door when the time comes.

“We focus on each game even within a match; we always say in the third game we might win the first two and we focus on, hey, that third game starts zero to zero,” said Ganley.

“Coach said this year we have a big target on our backs and everybody is going to play their best game against us,” said Morrison.

“We know every game starts zero to zero, we know we are going to work our butts off to break down the door,” said Rickard.

The Patriots look to continue their undefeated season as they travel to Pierz tomorrow night.