The 2021 girls volleyball season came quickly and felt like it ended even quicker. From the beginning of the season away scrimmages to the first home games. The environment was shocking to most of the girls at the time, some were not expecting the packed gym full of rowdy fans and the surprising size of the student section.
For senior libero Lilly Erb, it wasn’t about the crowd and the crowd and all the commotion, she had goals for the season, “ My personal goals for the season were to reach 400 digs and to only miss 10 serves,” Erb added.
To head coach Townley it was not all about the wins and losses in the season. Coach Townley topped it off with a statement I have not heard from any other sports teams. When asked her expectations on the season she stated that the team wanted to, “ Keep bettering our culture.”
On the court, the girls finished their season with a 14-10 record going 9-3 in the OCC. The overall favorite game of the year was their away game against Centerburg, another Knox County school. “ The energy was high and the environment was really fun, it was a high-intensity game,” Townley added.
Their toughest loss to take in could have been one of their best and hardest played games of the year. The second game against Mansfield Madison was a very hard-fought game, starting slow being down two sets did not break the team. They pulled together and fought back to the fifth and final set, they ended up losing 15-11.
“ The girls really battled which made the loss difficult,” Townley stated. Although coach Townley thought this was their toughest loss, senior Olivia Adams believed that their final post-season game against Olentangy Liberty, was the last time on the court for the seniors.
To say the least not only this year but volleyball has changed these girls for the better. “ I have met some of my best friends from volleyball and it has only helped us get closer,” senior Ashley Berg replies.
One of the many ways the girls have become best friends is through the outside of volleyball activities the team does every year to create bonds that will last a lifetime.