After qualifying for playoffs by beating Lake Highlands for the first time in ten years, the volleyball team’s season ended with a loss to McKinney Boyd in the first round of the playoffs at Wylie High School.
“We were missing our middle field player, a vital member of the team, who was sick with food poisoning,“ varsity player Julianna Washington said.
Senior Maddie Bunch said that even by missing an important player, the team played to its full potential.
“We really tried our hardest with utmost confidence,” varsity player Rachel Swento said.
The game against McKinney Boyd ended with the final set score of 0-3.
Despite the sudden end to the season, the volleyball team boasts several noticeable accomplishments this year. The team was District runner-up, qualifying for playoffs for the 6th straight year, and finishing above Lake Highlands for the first time in ten years.
“We had some of the best statistical performances since I have been at RHS,” volleyball coach Eric Miracle said. “The combination of senior leadership and the talent of our sophomores was a great combination.”
The team’s accomplishments also included hosting community events, like the annual Dig Pink fundraiser and an alumni gathering and banner raising ceremony.
“We had over 100 kids here for the junior high and elementary night, the biggest turnout ever,” Miracle said. “All of these events took a lot of work planning and work, and all the kids in the program chipped in to make them successful.”
Taking a break from volleyball after the busy season, the team will resume training after Thanksgiving. With volleyball coach Kristine Seaman, Miracle plans to run a structured and demanding off-season to improve the players over the spring.
“We will work a lot now with the junior high’s – going to their end-of-season tournament and visiting them regularly in the spring,” Miracle said. “Next year starts tomorrow, and our staff is already at work on our infamous spreadsheet of ideas and potential lineups.”
As the class of 2014 graduates, next year’s volleyball team will consist of juniors with a year of varsity experience who have set high expectations for the next season.
”Our goal will continue to be to win district and qualify for playoffs, and ultimately drive further in to playoffs,” Miracle said. “Sometimes we did not always see eye to eye, but we always came together on the court and got the job done.”
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