MV’s Kazmierski named T-T top athlete

Kayla Kazmierski drops back after a kill against Sayre in Saturday’s Lady Tiger Invitational volleyball tourney in Tunkhannock. For earlier performances in the week, she was named the ‘Scranton Times-Tribune Athlete of the Week.’ STAFF PHOTO/ROBERT BAKER

Mountain View volleyball’s middle hitter, Kayla Kazmierski, had a busy week. First, the senior registered nine kills and six aces in a 3-0 win over Montrose. Then, she attacked the net with 21 kills and four blocks to help the Eagles halt Dunmore’s 41-match Lackawanna League winning streak in a four-set victory, 15-25, 25-16, 25-21, 25-18.

Family: Mom, Christine; dad, Allan.

Other sports I play: Basketball, softball and track.

Favorite team: North Carolina basketball.

Athlete I admire: LeBron James, because he’s an amazing athlete.

Favorite food: Pizza.

Favorite movie: “Love and Basketball.”

What’s on my iPod: Li’l Wayne.

Superstitions and rituals: I actually don’t have any, just because I know I’d forget to do it, and then I would not be able to stop thinking about it and then I’d do bad.

Biggest sports thrill: In my sophomore year, I scored the winning basket against Montrose. In the first half, we didn’t beat them, we lost by one point. I was so excited. It was just a hook shot or a little jumper, but I’d never been so happy in my life.

Coming in against Dunmore, what were some of your feelings? I was excited. I didn’t really know what to expect just because we had gotten beat by them so many times. Our coaches said we had a chance, more of a chance this year than any other year. I was excited. I was hoping we would win it.

Dunmore won the first set, but then Mountain View swept the next three. What were the keys to winning those sets? Just keep each other up. Keep playing as hard as we were, because it was just one game and we still had more to come.

Any goals or expectations for the rest of the season, for you and for the team as a whole? To make it to districts, first of all, and win a couple of games in districts then make it to states. We need to play together and keep each other up, just work together as a team.

Three people I’d like to have dinner with: Shaquille O’Neal, my grandpa and my mom.

Post-graduation plans: I want to go to a four-year college, play basketball and major in exercise science.