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Senior Spotlight: Morgan Miller

ST. ELMO – Much like when the blades of a windmill rotate in the breeze, when Ramsey senior Morgan Miller winds up to spike down a kill or serve an ace, there is a certain energy that can be created.

And while the electricity created by a windmill can be quantified, the energy Miller creates with a big play or a word of encouragement is invaluable to the Lady Rams.

The third-year varsity player is one of the highest-energy players on Ramsey's squad, and even though she said she had an off-night on Monday during a loss at St. Elmo, she still was encouraging her teammates on the majority of plays.

“She brings the whole team up,” said coach Becky Eddy. “She is a go-getter, and is always smiling.”

That positive attitude combined with her 6-foot frame are a big part of why the Lady Rams have high expectations this season, and Miller genuinely believes that she can help lead her team all the way to the state tournament.

But along the way, there’s sure to be smiles, and Miller said it’s Darien Carter, a fellow senior, who is capable of making her laugh at any time with an inside joke.

“This sport is my life, and my teammates know exactly what to say to make me laugh the whole time,” Miller said. “In one of our games the other day, I actually lost focus (because of a joke) until the whistle blew.”

That’s not to say there’s not a serious side to Miller and the rest of the group, though.

Beating St. Elmo is the goal for every school in the Egyptian-Illini Conference, and when it appeared the Lady Eagles were taking off in the second set on Monday, Miller said it was her teammates that helped her get back in the right mindset.

“I rely on my team for most of my work,” Miller said. “I don’t know what happened to me today. I just let the other team get into my head, but I had my team right behind me, keeping my head up.”

Her kill in the middle of the set cut St. Elmo’s lead from 13-3 to just 15-12 and prompted St. Elmo coach Elise Asher to call a timeout.

Asher said that Miller wasn’t too intimidating to her players, but that her height did force the Lady Eagles to play the front row a bit differently.

“You can’t teach height,” Asher said. “It forces us off the net a little bit on offense to make it harder for those big girls in the middle to block us.”

Miller didn’t have too many opportunities to block attacks on Monday, but she did finish the game with a pair of blocks that scored points and a few rejections of St. Elmo attacks.

By the end of the season, she should surpass 100 career blocks.

But for as good as she is in the front row, Miller actually prefers to play in the back.

“The back row is my favorite spot,” she said. “It’s a great experience, because you do stuff that you normally don’t do in the front.”

Miller tracked down most of the balls hit toward her in the back row, ranging to either side on more than one occasion.

Her high-energy play sometimes worries Eddy that fatigue might set in, but that has yet to be a problem.

So the coach just reaps the benefits instead.

“It brings a lot of value,” Eddy said. “If she can play all the way around, I don’t have to worry about anyone doing her job.”

Miller hopes she can hold on to her job on the court for a few more years, too.

She played at open gyms at Lake Land Community College this past summer, and she is very interested in playing volleyball for the Lakers.

In college, Miller plans to study agriculture – an appropriate major for someone that already knows so much about manufacturing energy.

Ramsey senior Morgan Miller reaches for a block during a loss at St. Elmo on Monday. The 6-footer uses her height at the net to alter opposing team’s game plans.

Ramsey senior Morgan Miller winds up for a serve against St. Elmo on Monday. In her career, she has 36 service aces.

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