The girls’ volleyball team has improved this season with a record of 21-6. Last season their record was 25-6. 

Coach Bob St. Leger recognized the improvement but sees the team’s schedule as more challenging this year.

“Well, last year we did pretty well. We had 25 wins last year, whereas this year we have 20,” St. Leger said. “But our schedule this year is much tougher, and we’re probably more experienced from last year.”

“Coach St. has been pushing us more. He has been pumping up the intensity and coaching the people that wanna be coached. He is making sure that the little things aren’t getting to us,” said junior Kymora Scott.

The team’s hard work in practices seems to be paying off for their games. 

According to senior Frances Smith, “Our conference is a competitive group of schools and our coaches have taken that into account with practice schedules and intensity. We work hard while we’re in the gym and practice how we play so that the work we do in practice sets us up well for any situation we’re put in in an actual match,” Smith stated.

 There are a variety of drills for the team to work on to prepare for games and playoffs. They prepare by playing as a team and working individually with their position on the court. 

“We do a variety of drills such as live team play and individual positional drills,” St. Leger stated. 

The girls have goals that they want to achieve. Smith believes that the team should work together in any situation they run into. “A goal that I have that I know spreads across the team is to always stick together as a unit no matter the circumstance we are in, good or bad,” according to Smith.

The team’s strengths are athleticism and teamwork. “Back to the experience piece, the fact that the girls know each other I think is a strength, and we have incredible athleticism,” St Leger stated.

Their first playoff game is the week of Oct. 28 with five games left in the season. The IHSA volleyball competition has a few rounds: regionals, sectionals, super-sectionals and the State Final.

Going into the playoffs, they wanna make sure that they don’t give up and stay focused in the game. “A goal that we have is to make sure that we don’t let up and to stay competitive for us to win games and also the playoffs,” said Scott.

 St. Leger wants the team to play their best during the playoffs. “When the playoffs come we’re hoping we’re playing the best that we can at the end,” St. Leger stated.