Volleyball Embracing the Challenge of 5A

This year’s Wylie varsity volleyball team has begun district play and is ready for the challenge that moving up to 5A will bring. The team graduated several senior’s last season, but they aren’t worried about only having one this year. They have embraced the underdog role and feel as if their team was put together specifically for this challenge. We talked to juniors Karis Christian and Keetyn Davis about their goals for this season.

Davis said, “I think our team was destined for this challenge. We are approaching this season with a very competitive mindset.”

Christian and Davis both stressed how much effort the team is putting in to stay competitive. The team has really appreciated the step up in competition because it has pushed them to discover their strengths. The team doesn’t look at their new district as a problem but more as a new challenge.

“We all have a different leadership role. We each play off of each other. We all respect each other’s opinions and work together really well to create one big leadership community,” said Christian.

The team consists of eight juniors and six of those eight played on varsity last season. The maturity that these juniors have acquired over the past couple of seasons has really helped them understand what they need to do to succeed this year. The team has also added two freshman to the mix, and they have stepped up in big ways. Lexi Miller had to step in as the team’s setter while key Junior Keetyn Davis had a injured hand, and Lilly Kate Doby has punished other teams with her overpowering hits.

“I really want to play Aledo again. We went into that game knowing they were one of the top ranked teams in the state, but we lost in three really close sets,” said Davis. “Knowing that we are right there with them makes us feel like we can really fight.”

The team has been fighting all season to prepare themselves for their district. The team has two ranked teams in their district alone. They understand that they have to try so much harder to make it to playoffs.

Christian said, “We are taking it one game at a time. We are not making excuses. The goal is to make it to playoffs.”

The team feels the energy difference playing in 5A. This year’s team has learned that they have to be more intense and have a stronger mental as well as physical game in order to succeed. They have stressed having the right attitudes in games and not being timid towards opponents.

“If we get down, we know we have to fight,” said Davis. “I think that’s where our closeness comes together because we are able to reassure each other on the court. Next year it’ll be the same team and we are ready to go after it.”

Photo courtesy of Judy Lanman