On Friday, the ball hitting and whistle-blowing came to an end after varsity volleyball could not earn their spot in playoffs. The team fought a hard battle against College Park, and even though they did not win, the bond they built over the season meant more than any trophy.

“No matter the outcome, you should still be proud of you and your teammates after all the hard work you have put in, in order to achieve the goal,” senior Savanah Paske said. “Everything that happened this year was just amazing, our chemistry was a lot better on the court. It was fun all the way around and we all got along. Next year everyone should focus more on the off-the-court relationships than the practice- that’s the competitive edge.”

Most say that the volleyball team is a lot like a family, they often have each other’s backs in tough situations and have the same goal at the forefront of their mind. 

“We had a good season due to all of our positive energy,” freshman Tori Greeney said. We all care for each other so much and it’s like we were all so supportive of each other. Next year we plan on boosting morale and putting focus into winning.”

Throughout the season, teammates went from playing together physically, to being connected mentally. Practicing being in sync helped them make it as far as they did.

“I think that being close with everybody helped us do well this year,” sophomore Carly Paugh said. “We are all family to each other, so playing as a team helped us build momentum and energy even when we may not feel good. I hope we can do really well next year and become an even closer family.”

Team members learned a few lessons on what they need to improve on over the course of the season. Whether it be hand skills, patience or passing. 

“I think this season more than any other, we have been more connected as a team- it helped the game flow better,” junior Sophie Satterwhite said. “My patience has improved since the beginning of the season because I’ve been working with a more patient team. Next year, Willis volleyball is going to be the top in the district.”

Though they did not come home with the title- they still had one of their best seasons ever. The team still learned a great deal about how to appreciate one another and improve their game for next year.

“I think we all grew very close to each other and learned more about each other, it helped our chemistry on the court,” junior Grace Wilder said. “We were upset about the loss but so proud of what we got, I think this season was really eye-opening to how far we’ve come in our skill set and mentality.