Prior Lake entered the season with reasonable hopes for success. The fact the team was built around Julia Hanson, a senior hitter who received a lot of preseason attention as a potential Miss Volleyball winner, helped that cause.
But the Lakers got off to a rough start, losing six of their first eight games and nine of their first 15.
The slow start didn't doom the team's season. The Lakers have won nine of their last 12 games and take a 7-1 record in the tough South Suburban Conference into Tuesday's game against No. 8-4A Lakeville North (18-9, 4-4).
And, of course, Hanson's play has been key to the Lakers' success. She enters the final week of the regular season as the state's leader in kills. With 417, she is 31 ahead of Tezra Rudzitis of Legacy Christian, whose regular season ended last week. No player is within 90 of Hanson entering this week.
Hanson also has 27 service aces and 198 digs. Ella Joesting (350 assists), freshman Catalina Connell (289 assists) and Courtney Haugen (239 digs) have also provided some heavy lifting for the Lakers.