As the season comes to a close, the girls volleyball team has been pushing themselves to the limit, playing over 30 games over the course of the season. Along with the regular season, the team has been participating in weekend tournaments that last from 7 in the morning until 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

“I found that keeping each other motivated and constantly communicating on and off the court is a huge motivator. The day before a game, at our practice, we always have a meeting and talk about what we can do well, improve at the game, and play our hardest the next day,” said senior captain Taylor Johnston.

Even with daily practices, multiple games a week, and tournaments on the weekends, this busy team has still found time to improve their skills. All season the girls have been looking to accomplish goals from the start of the season.

“Our team goal was collectively to finish top three at a tournament, which we did our invitational on October 15. We went 3-2 and got third place. We have our last game at Antioch on the 22 and then Regionals,” said junior Shayla Hertzke.

The team worked and grew together over the season, becoming a well-rounded team, trying to become better every day thanks to their hard work and effort.

“We just try to take the match one point at a time. Volleyball is a mental game, and if you take too long to dwell on a mistake, you’re more likely to make the same mistake again. We try to take three seconds to think about the mistake and move on after that,” Johnston said.

With the new conference, the team has been playing people closer to home, including friends from club teams and kids they went to middle school with.

“I enjoy playing against some of my friends. It puts a little more competition into the game, and makes it that much more fun,” Hertzke said.