September 12, 2024
South Lake Volleyball Soars Under Coach Wagenhauser, Lady Eagles Off To Dominant Start
By Kyle Coppola
South Lake Volleyball Soars Under Coach Wagenhauser, Lady Eagles Off To Dominant Start
GROVELAND, Fla. — The South Lake High School volleyball team is flying high under first-year head coach Thomas Wagenhauser, riding a wave of early success in what is shaping up to be a breakout season. With key contributions from standout junior Emily Caldwell and a rising group of underclassmen, the Lady Eagles have stormed out of the gates to dominate their opponents.
(The South Lake High girls volleyball team are thriving under coach Tom Wagenhauser who has the program looking strong.)
Caldwell, an outside hitter, has been a force at the net, racking up 74 kill shots so far. She’s proven to be a dual threat, adding 20 aces to her stat line and showcasing her powerful serving.
Equally impressive is sophomore Jenna Brooks, who has taken on a versatile role as both an outside hitter and libero. Brooks matches Caldwell with 74 kills but also leads the team with 31 aces and 140 serves received. Her ability to handle pressure and read the game has made her a cornerstone of South Lake’s defense.
Senior Alexis Wagenhauser, has anchored the front line with a team-leading 18 blocks, providing a solid wall at the net. Her experience and leadership have been crucial to the Lady Eagles this season.
(These young ladies are having quite the year in 2024. We could have a possible District Championship game preview between South Lake and Lake Minneola this evening.)
Meanwhile, freshman Victoria Vaughn has been catching many eyes in Central Florida. Vaughn stepped up as the team’s primary setter this season amassing 100 assists so far. Vaughn’s playmaking abilities have been instrumental in distributing the ball effectively, allowing South Lake’s hitters to go to work.
The Lady Eagles’ early success is a testament to both their individual talent and Wagenhauser’s leadership in his first year at the helm. The Lady Eagles are 5-3 but have a tough matchup tonight against a Lake Minneola High team who have been equally dominant. Rivalry night is always special especially when you have to awesome teams about to go at it.
(Coach Wagenhauser’s daughter Alexis Wagenhauser is a senior and a terrific player at the front of the net. Left – Tom Wagenhauser – Middle – Alexis Wagenhauser – Right – Kristin Cole Wagenhauser.)
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on South Lake to see if they can continue their winning ways and build on this strong start. They come into tonight’s contest winners in 4 out of their last 5 contests.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
