Lakeville South junior outside hitter Jenny Mosser spent her July as one of 20 players training with the U.S. Girls Youth National Team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. But when the roster for the 2015 FIVB Girls' U18 World Championship held in August in Lima, Peru, was announced, Mosser’s name was not called. 

“It was hard because I’ve never been cut from anything for, but it’s pushed me to become a better player,” Mosser said.

The recent UCLA commit showed fans in Minnesota just how much she’s improved, finishing with 16 kills to lead Lakeville South in a 3-1 victory over Wayzata 3-1 in the season opener Thursday at Wayzata High School.

“We were hoping if we really worked hard and played together we’d get the outcome we wanted and we did,” Mosser said.

Playing together at Lakeville South begins in preseason with a volleyball retreat. 

“It’s a chance to get the team to come together and get to know each other,” Cougars coach Stephen Willingham said.

The two-day event includes lots of different games and teams that have rosters with a mix of players - from freshmen to seniors. The list of events even includes an American Idol contest with fun costumes.

Mosser said her favorite game was the balloon race, in which two partners have to keep a balloon in between them and run around the track.  

The girls also volunteered at Feed my Starving Children, a non-profit Christian organization that sends meals for malnourished children throughout the world. 

“It’s a great way to connect with everyone and make you feel like you’re part of something bigger,” Mosser said.

Being part of something bigger is a theme Willingham has pushed for at Lakeville South. The goal is to make his program become one giant team.

To help achieve this goal, the Cougars take a single bus to games so that the girls can cheer on each team in the program, from the ninth grade to the varsity.

It also helps teach humility.

“We like to talk about kids being actual size and not being bigger than they actually are,” Willingham said.

Junior outside hitter Jenny Mosser had 16 kills and 13 digs in Lakeville South’s 28-30, 25-17, 25-19, 25-22 win over Wayzata in a nonconference matchup at Wayzata High School on Thursday night. 

The Cougars, who are tied with Hopkins at No. 4 in the Class 3A preseason rankings put out by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association, had an infallible defensive effort led by two players making their first varsity starts. Senior libero Payten Hansen finished with 14 digs, while sophomore setter Sydney Case recorded 38 assists.

Senior outside hitter Halle Johnston had six kills and 13 digs for Lakeville South (1-0).

The No. 10-3A Trojans fought to keep a one-point lead in the first set and eventually expanded their advantage to win the set 30-28. But Wayzata was unable to rattle the Cougars' defense in the final three sets.

Trojans junior outside hitter Kate Berg finished with 16 kills.

Senior libero Raegan Palesch had 12 digs and junior setter MacKenzie Groechel had 26 assists for Wayzata (0-1).

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