By Valeria Benitez
After an amazing playoff 3-0 win last Saturday, against Walnut Grove, Varsity Volleyball headed to the State Championships against Trinity Christian, who they defeated 3-1 in the quarterfinals.
With this huge win, Lovett Volleyball will be advancing to the final four to play for state champ. I talked to assistant coach Taylor Parker last week about her thoughts on the playoffs, and she told me that they will be very fun games to watch. “Watch and support the girls,’ she encouraged everyone.
Overall, during the season the team notched 30 wins, losing only 9 times, putting Lovett Volleyball in 2nd place in the 4A Area 5 Region ahead of Westminster (3rd place) and behind Pace (1st place).
I chatted with some players about the highlights of their season.
Talking to one of the senior captains, Eloise Diffley, made me realize how much I need to enjoy the sports I participate in because time will fly. I asked her what she would miss the most about this season. “I’m gonna miss just being with the team a lot, especially because some of these girls I’ve seen like every single day after school since Freshman and Sophmore year,” she said. She told me how it is crucial to become super close with your team because “the sport isn’t going to be fun if you don’t like the people that you are playing with.” You also get to build amazing friendships.
But it’s also about the wins, of course. Senior captain Emma Duffield’s favorite memory from this season is playing and beating Westminster twice. “The rivalry that we have makes beating them feel so much sweeter,” Lovett beat Westminster 3-1 in October and 2-1 back in September.
Head coach Sutherland also cited the Westminster games as her favorites. She told me how it is “always an extra layer of excitement playing them because I went to Westminster.” She said a lot of the girls are definitely more excited when playing their rival.
Emma is definitely looking forward to the semi-final state tournament game against Westminster.
Hopefully, she will be able to extend her career milestone of 1000 kills. Cackie Watt hit her career milestone of getting 2,000 assists.
There are also some talented underclassmen on the team. Freshman Margaux Godfrey, who is playing on varsity, said her mom signed her up to play at volleyball camps since 2nd grade. Her years of experience have proven helpful. “It was an extra boost of confidence knowing I was the only one of my peers who made the team,” she said, noting that it made her want to push herself more.
To prepare for the state tournament, coach Sutherland told me how she does a lot of digging into past performances in matches and practices to figure out where they need to focus in for the next practice or the “next match goals that we’re setting as a team.” Each practice typically includes skill work, ball control, a high-energy effort-based drill, which is very high energy, and a match with six on six or three on three.
Coach Sutherland believes all of these experiences not only prepare them for matches but also give her players leadership and commitment life skills. “I love all the skills volleyball can teach a young athlete,” Coach Sutherland said. She remembers how much volleyball taught her in high school and in college and even when she was overseas.
Coach Parker loves to see the girls she coaches during the school day. She teaches two of them. In getting to know the girls and forming relationships with them, she recalls the coaches in her life from high school.
And it’s not all about what happens on the court. There’s also the bonding that comes with milkshakes after a great match or laughing in the cold tub after practice. Margaux told me how fun her most recent game was because not only did they win, but they came together as a team. “The bus ride home that night was full of laughter,” she said.
As they continue to work hard to bring Lovett to state championships, Coach Sutherland hopes that people can come to support the girls. If you can’t make them, make sure to congratulate any of the players because as assistant coach Parker said, “We don’t like to lose at the riverbank.”
