Can you dig it?

Story by Catherine Grosdidier

Serving, passing, setting, and hitting. It seems like a simple formula to the average student, but if you ask any volleyball player and they may just laugh in your face. As the 2015 season gets underway, there’s a lot of excitement going around the squad.

“I feel good going into the season,” outside hitter Kayla Maples, Jr., said.  “We are starting to gel and it’s very exciting.”

Although the team is smaller in numbers than in years past, the practices are always competitive. The season began for the JV and Varsity on August 29th with their first Frontier League tournaments. Both teams fought hard against strong Frontier League teams. The teams later faced Bonner Springs, Basehor-Linwood, and Baldwin in a quad. Finally, all teams, including Freshmen in their first match of the season, faced the Tonganoxie Chieftains in back-and-forth sets. The Freshmen won in two sets, the JV narrowly lost in three sets, and the Varsity won the match in a very exciting fashion, going into five sets.

This team is very eager for the rest of the season to get going.

“I want this team to go to state and I’m 100% confident that we can make it there,” setter Kennedy Shockley, Jr., said. , “As long as we keep putting in a lot of hard work and stay focused, I believe that we will make it.”

This is a very driven team. The six seniors inspire the younger girls to accomplish great things.

“My favorite part about volleyball is celebrating with my teammates after a big point or win,” Kayla said.

Kennedy agreed, saying, “My favorite part about volleyball is the excitement that we have on the court. After running a great play or winning a hard, close match, the excitement and the energy on the court is amazing.”

Having a big and loud student section at any game gets the team hyped up and excited. Students can come out on October 6th as the teams will face Baldwin in the annual Dig Pink Night.