MORLEY – One of the highlights of the soon-to-be completed 2023 calendar year for local sports was another championship season for the Morley-Stanwood volleyball team that enjoyed a share of the Central State Activities Association title.
Among the area’s top players in 2023 is Morley Stanwood junior Piper Kozuch, who is already focused on the 2024 campaign.
This was her third year of college and she felt it was the best for her. She was outside setting.
“I was right sided my freshman year, then I was out last year, then I got hurt and tore up my shoulder, and then I started setting up,” Kozoch recalled.
“I like it a lot better. I feel like I can run the floor a lot better than I used to. I think it’s a better place for me.”
Her mother and coach Robin Kozuch agreed.
“Piper’s growth over last year has been tremendous,” Robin Kozuch said. “She stepped into a new role that she was relatively unfamiliar with and performed really well. She played backwards and setter to allow our team to have more mass. She continued to improve her setup and communication with hitters throughout the season.”
“I have been most impressed with her attack and serve this season. She led the team in aces and in hitting percentage. She is truly a great teammate on the court and is truly happy with her teammates’ success. She is a selfless player and constantly encourages those around her. I am so proud of how hard she works to improve her skill set .
She had 57 aces, 131 kills, a .223 hitting percentage, 191 digs, and 265 assists.
“Piper had nine kills and no errors in our tough loss to Shelby in the district finals and four blocks against Ohio State heading into Nivea Gauthier,” Robin Kozuch said. “She will be a major return for us next season.”
Piper Kozoch said the Mohawks’ win over Kent City and getting a share of the conference title was a highlight.
Piper Kozoch can’t wait for her first season. She plays other sports but said volleyball is her favorite and she plays a lot of it during the vacation.