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By Marah Shulda

As their opponent hits the ball, junior Faith Archibong and sophomore Jaden Ravensborg block it. The team competed in the sub-state tournament on Saturday, Oct. 20, and lost to Olathe Northwest in the final round of pool play. They placed eighth overall.

The volleyball team placed second out of the four teams in their pool at Olathe Northwest on Saturday, Oct. 20. The team lost to the defending 6A state champions and this means the team did not qualify for state.

Based on their season ranking, the result did not come as much of a surprise to coach Debbie Fay.

“18 teams go to the sub-state tournament,” Fay said. “We were seeded eighth and we finished eighth.”

Despite the loss, the team improved certain aspects of their game when preparing for the tournament, according to sophomore Molly Carr.

“We were finally able to maintain our energy [during the sub-state tournament],” Carr said. “There were some errors we made that we could not afford, but we did stay excited and made some really smart shots that helped us.”

Carr also thought that she was able to refine some of her own skills to prepare for sub-state.

“I improved on communicating more with my middle [hitter] on the blocks,” Carr said. “I was also able to hit the ball better [on crucial shots] to help our team score.”

For next season, the team is going to need to work on consistency throughout every game, according to Carr.

“We need to work on not letting the other team get on long serving runs,” Carr said. “It drops our energy [whenever it happens].”

When it comes to future sub-state and other high pressure tournaments, Fay will be consistent in her coaching style.

“I will continue to develop players who thrive and play their best when competition is high,” Fay said.