When Lakeville South outside hitter Jenny Mosser can’t return a serve or misses on a kill, she doesn’t pout, get upset at her teammates or display frustration. 

Instead, she smiles. 

“I realize getting upset, mad at each other and showing your frustration doesn’t help a team at all,” Mosser said. “Smiling and showing that we are OK and we will get the next ball is so much more beneficial than being mad and down.”

The junior had a big reason to smile after she registered 30 kills in a ​25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-23 victory over Chaska at Lakeville South High School on Tuesday. The Cougars (10-2), ranked No. 3 in Class 3A in the latest poll by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association, defeated the No. 8-3A Hawks (7-3) for the second time this season after recording a 2-0 victory at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge tournament on Sept 12.

In matches that experience constant momentum shifts, Mosser’s perspective plays a key role in her success.

“She is a top player, but what we love about her is that she doesn’t take herself too seriously,” Lakeville South coach Steve Willingham said. “It’s volleyball; it is supposed to be fun.” 

And Mosser made sure she and her teammates had fun in the fourth set against Chaska. The Cougars, who had won the first and third sets, led 14-8 in the fourth, but the Hawks quickly changed that. With the help of a seven-point scoring run, Chaska took a 17-16 lead. A back-and-forth game continued, but a fifth set seemed likely with the Hawks holding a 23-21 lead. 

That is until Mosser took over. 

Following a Lakeville South timeout, Mosser tallied three kills as the Cougars scored the next four points to win the set and pull out the game victory. 

Willingham wasn’t surprised Mosser came through when she did. 

“She’s our Terminator,” he said. “If a rally is going to be terminated, a majority of the time, Jenny can do it.” 

With 180 kills on the season, Mosser is sure to touch the ball in tough situations.

“From a coaching standpoint, you want to put the ball in her hands at the end of the game,” Willingham said. “She is just a dominating player.” 

Mosser hasn’t just shown up and become a dominating player. She constantly comes in early to do throwing and to work on her arm swing, Willingham said. He also described her as “really dedicated” and one of the hardest workers on the team. 

Willingham said Mosser is “really physically gifted”, noting her 5-foot-11 height. Although she has a physical skill set fit for volleyball, that’s not what makes her the strong player who will compete at the Division-I level having committed to UCLA.

“There are a lot of players who are physically gifted like that and don’t have that spark that Jenny does,” Willingham said. “It is really special to coach her.”

It is also special to play on the court with Mosser, not because of her talent, but because of her positive persona. 

“Jenny has a great personality,” Willingham said. “We love working with her and the kids love to be on the court with her to see her smiling.”

Lakeville South junior Jenny Mosser registered 30 kills in an ​25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-23 victory over Chaska at Lakeville South High School on Tuesday. 

The Cougars (10-2), ranked No. 3 in Class 3A in the latest poll by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association, defeated the No. 8-3A Hawks (7-3) for the second time this season after recording a 2-0 victory at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge Tournament on Sept 12.

Mosser started off strong in the match and never let up. In the first set, she registered a kill, ace and block in the first few points. Lakeville South won the set with a late five-point scoring run, outlasting Chaska 25-23. 

The Hawks came away with a victory in the second set. Neither team had more than a four-point scoring run, but Chaska won the set 26-24. 

After eking out a 25-22 win in the third set, Lakeville South looked as if it wouldn't win the fourth set until Mosser stepped up.

Trailing 23-21, the Cougars pulled out the victory as Mosser recorded three kills to help end the match. 

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